Chrono Crisis
by KDH
Summary: 20 years have passed since the events of Chrono Cross. Peace has finaly returned to the world... or so it seems. An evil man named Vern plans to regrow another Lavos and become FATE himself, and there are only a few who can stop him.
1. Note to the Reader

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Chrono Trigger/ Chrono Cross material. Those belong to the company Square Soft. Most of the characters in this story are made up such as Han, Rad, Sullivan, Carle, Jade, and Otto. Ok, disclaimer done.  
  
Note to the reader,  
Thank you for taking interest in my story. First of all I would like to say this is my first full fanfic. Many hours, tears, and sweat have gone into what you are about to read.   
First of all, I would like to thank my friend, 'Tooner', for helping and inspiring me to create Chrono Crisis. His advice and comments have steered me in the right direction. Thanks man!  
Please, if you are willing to review, be gentle. I would also like it best if you, the reviewer, would review the story AFTER you have finished it. Please do not post this story on your personal web page without my permission. Just ask me, I most likely will say yes!  
Just so you know the fallowing story includes characters of my own. Do not worry; there are plenty of characters from the original Chrono games. I suggest knowing both Chrono Trigger and Chrono Cross before stepping into my personal sequel.  
Now sit back, and enjoy! 


	2. The Beggining

Chrono Crisis   
  
Chapter One: The Beginning  
It was a nice, comfortable day, one of those days were you feel that everything was right. The water on the lake was smooth as glass and the pine trees never looked greener. Han had been fishing off the dock for 4 hours now, and made about 4 catches. Still, he laid back and relaxed, with the pole in his hand, thinking about random things. He was a man of solitude, usually liked to be alone when he felt like it. Han always kept to himself and never bothered with anyone but his close friends. Some people in town may say he's a shy guy, but most would say he's a sweet, patient guy, but always seemed to go to extremes. Either something is really bad or really good, or you love it or you hate it, that's the way he saw things. He usually never gets into fights, but is always ready for one. But usually, he was always eager to please and make people happy, even if he almost never seemed to talk. He had his problems, all sixteen year olds do. But there was something special about him that no one could put their finger on, something unique and strong.  
  
"HAAAAAAAAAAN!" yelled Johnny, Han's little fourteen year old brother, "When are you going to come home?! I'm bored!" Han looked up at his puzzling brother, shrugged, and continued fishing.  
  
Johnny was a strange one, kind of like a five year old trapped in a teen's body. He wasn't a bad fellow, never did anything to hurt anyone, but he made people laugh or wonder. He was easily amused at the simplest of things. He was type of kid who you could lock in a padded room with paper and crayons, and he would be amused. He and his older brother were very different from each other. Han was neat and clean, Johnny was lazy and weird. He's the type of person who doesn't take after anyone, and never seems to dress with matching cloths.   
  
"Could you come with me later to buy some Potato Chips?" Johnny said with a big smile. Han looked up and raised an eyebrow "Um… maybe later. Its 2 o'clock, I'm not done fishing." Johnny stamped his feet and walked away. Han turned back, shook his head, sighed, and continued fishing.   
  
  
Ten minutes later, Han awoke from a short nap. He stretched and found a tug on the line. He jerked the pole back, forcing the fish toward him. After a short and easy fight, he had the fish. It was a small one though, about 6 inches. He muttered to himself and threw it back into the lake. He looked at his watch and noticed it was time to meet up with his buddies. While gazing at the water for a few moments, a light, gentle breeze hit him in the face, and then he heard a voice.  
  
"… Han… Han…" it said. He scratched his head, and gazed harder into the lake, with the sun making his Red-Brown eyes sparkle like the water.  
"Han… Han…" It was a gentle voice, sounding each time the breeze kicked in. "… Han… Han…" He rubbed his eyes, and stretched, "Eh, I've been out here to long." he said to himself as he squinted, picked up his bucket and fishing rod, and walked off the dock.   
  
***  
  
"Bout time you got here, what's up?!" said Rad, Han's best friend. "Hey, I caught 5 fish today, you?" Han said while smiling.   
"Eh, do'n good. We better hurry up and meet Sullivan so he can show us another one of his weird inventions." Rad said with a giggle.  
"Yeah," Han said "maybe it's something cool like the last one"  
  
Rad was a tall, nice guy who always had a joke. He never criticized anything or anyone, just liked to laugh. He was not that quiet and liked to talk about many things which helped make him a cool guy. But when a fight was about to start, he always backed out. He was smart and knew what he was talking about, and was always honest, kind of like Han, only much more talkative. Han and Rad were like brothers, always hung out and checked out the girls together. In fact, they hung out so much, people in town think they ARE brothers. Only that's not possible, they are both the same age.   
  
The two started walking to their friend's house and talked about different things. The area that they lived in was not the richest, but was clean and organized. It was a small town in the middle of the forest and held many beautiful things about its past.   
  
They arrived at Sullivan's house and Rad knocked on the door. Sullivan's mom answered.  
"Hey guys! Sullivan's upstairs." said Sullivan's mom.  
They walked up the stairs and knocked on Sullivan's door. It was slightly ajar, so Rad pushed threw. Books, tools, computer parts, all this was all over the place in Sullivan's room. Sullivan was a smart guy, loved to build stuff, read, anything like that. He talked quite often and always had something useful or nice to say. He didn't go out much, and usually had people over his house rather than have to leave his house. He was pretty critical when it came to his opinion on certain things; he always wanted to be heard. His jokes were also a rare thing, but were very funny. He always seemed to put his studies in front of everything except his family and friends. He was an inventor, constantly building stuff for his own pleasure. Sullivan was also pretty serious and would never do anything to hurt anyone.   
  
"Hey guys, I'm glad you came." Sullivan said with a serious face. He sat back down and finished putting in the last screw in his invention. It was a man sized computer thing that someone could stand in with a computer screen on the side.  
"What they hell does this do, boil eggs?!" said Rad with a funny smile.  
"Nooooo…." Sullivan said with out looking up.  
"Nononono, it makes hot babes for your own pleasure, way to go Sullivan!" Rad said laughing.  
Sullivan grabbed his Squall plush and threw it at Rad with a smile on his face while Han's laughter filled the room.  
"It's a transporting device." Sullivan explained. "I'm using the model that the great Lucca used 40 years ago to transport things to different places."  
"Whoa…" Han said without a smile "that model made things go back into time, you're not planning to do THAT, are you? I mean, we shouldn't tamper with something like that."  
"Relax," Sullivan said with a smile "I'm making this thing transport things to other areas. Like instead of using stairs, I can use this baby instead."  
"Oh…" Han said.  
A long, heavy silence was in the room for a few moments as everyone stared at the ground.  
"Lesbians ROCK!" Rad yelled, breaking the silence in the air. Sullivan lunged forward and Rad ran across the room, grabbed Sullivan's favorite videogame, and held it in the air screaming "ONE MORE STEP AND THE GAME GETS IT!"  
Sullivan dropped to his knees and pleaded to let it go. Rad then stopped laughing, placed the game on the counter, and tackled Sullivan. Han ran out of the way as someone knocked the switch to the invention on. Lights went everywhere and Sullivan pushed Rad out of his grasp and screamed "NO! I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S GOING TO WORK!"  
  
Sullivan raced over to the controls and franticly started pushing buttons while the lights started to get brighter. A loud noise was filling the air, and Han heard the same voice he did at the dock.  
  
"… Han… Han… the chr.. no.. o… ttr…" the voice said. Han started to feel dizzy and his head started to hurt.   
Finally, Sullivan stopped the machine and the lights and load noises went away. Rad was still on the floor, his eyes wide open. Han just stood there, looking at the machine, not moving or blinking at all. Han then closed his eyes, and fell forward to the ground like a rag doll.  
  
"Han!" Rad said racing forward to Han.  
  
Sullivan ran forward, turning Han around. Han's eyes where closed, but he was breathing. Sullivan shook him, but he didn't move at all.   
  
"He's out cold; get a doctor in here, FAST!" Sullivan yelled.  
  
Rad ran downstairs to get help for his friend while Sullivan sat there, wondering what the problem was. He began to thing to himself "Ok, what went wrong. What did I put into this machine that knocked Han out?! Could it be the settings? No, what's that got to do with it. Was it the Radioactive Lights? Naw, can't be. Wait… I never found out what that weird rainbow colored rock was that I needed to put in the system that Lucca said in this book." He kept thinking and thinking, then he noticed what the rock was and almost fainted. It could have been a fragment of the Chrono Cross. 


	3. Han's Dream

Chapter Two: Han's Dream   
  
Han opened his eyes. Everything was so blurry; he couldn't tell where he was. He sat up, shook his head, rubbed his eyes, and stood up. Everything came into view.  
  
"I'm not in Sullivan's room, that's for sure." Han said to himself with a puzzled expression on his face. "Where the hell am I?"  
The whole area seemed to be… well… weird. The whole area was black, and he was standing on nothing. Images of what seemed to be different eras wised by him. He saw an old street light up ahead, with a bucket on the side, 4 doors, and a strange old man who seemed to be napping while standing up. He walked forward as rainbow footsteps appeared after each step he took. It seemed to be all a dream. Everything was just so unreal; the black background, the strange street light up ahead, it was all so strange. He kept walking until a brick, golden ground was in front of him. He took a deep breath, and walked onto it and approached the sleeping man. The man seemed old and strange. He was wearing an old hat and jacket. Han walked up to the man.  
"Um… hello." Han said.  
  
The old man awoke his name with a scream and startled Han.  
"Who are you?!" the man screamed.  
"I was going to ask you the same thing!" Han screamed.  
"You look… strange. Your soul seems… so… strong."  
Han raised an eyebrow wondering what this guy was saying. He began to question if he was dead to himself. Was he being sent to hell or heaven, or was this purgatory? He was confused.  
"AH YES!" The old man said with a big smile, "So you are the one!"  
"What do you mean? What the hell am I doing here?!"  
"YOU have been brought here, to the Bend of Time. This is a gateway of time. But we mustn't sit here and chat, you have been brought here for a reason. Go forward, to the door, and enter."  
  
Han shrugged and walked over to the door. He looked back and the man nodded for him to open it up. He did so and a big flash filled his view. He was standing on nothing again and the whole place was black. He looked around and heard a voice similar to the one he heard early at the doc and over at Sullivan's house.   
"I've been waiting for you Han." The voice said in a comforting way.  
  
Han looked around to find a girl who seemed a year or two older than he. She was dressed in what seemed to be a princess's dress. She had long blond hair, bright blue eyes, and stood around Han's height. Han wondered who she was, and then he figured it out.  
  
"Are you…" Han was interrupted  
"I am Princess Schala." She said with a smile. Han stood there with his jaw dropped. He had heard many legends of this princess but could not believe he was standing in front of her. He then fell to the ground and became dizzy. Everything he saw began to swirl and he felt like he was going to pass out. Still, he managed to wipe up enough courage to speak with Princess Schala.   
  
"Am I dreaming?" Han asked, still shocked.  
"Yes," Schala replied "in a way, you are. Your soul has left your body and brought you here, to me."  
Han then raised an eyebrow and realized that this was definitely a dream. "What kind of crap are you talking about? This isn't real, it's all a dream! How the hell is this real in the first place? Maybe this is a prank by Sullivan. Maybe he made another one of his weird inventions that make me have weird ass dreams. Hell, how can you convince me that all of this isn't a dream? What the hell is wrong with me, am I going nuts?!"  
"Relax," Schala said in a soothing way "you are not in any danger, but existence is." Schala's smile went off her face as she began to explain. "You may think your world is safe, but you do not know the whole story. Of course, 20 years ago, FATE was destroyed and I was rescued by a young man named Serge and his partner, Kid. But you do not know the legend of Crono. I am sure you have heard of Lucca and how she had built a device to travel back into time with Crono and others to save the world. They did, but you do not know how. They were the true ones who killed Lavos and saved this planet. Your world has been saved twice, and now it will be three times."  
Han scratched his head and wondered. The he asked "How three times?"  
"Another evil act is in the works as we speak. An evil man is trying to create another Lavos in your time. I'm not sure if he is exactly creating one, but he is trying to get one on the planet again. Why? He wants to draw power from this planet with the help of this new Lavos so he can return to his planet with enough energy to rule all existence and time. If he does this, he can create another FATE or be FATE himself. I also have reason to believe that he is hunting down the Frozen Flame to do this."  
Han listened in horror and had so many questions to ask.   
"Frozen Flame?" Han questioned "Wasn't that just a made up story?"  
  
"No, it is real," explained Schala "and it is in your era as well. If this man gets to the Frozen Flame, he can wish for anything."  
"Who is this man?" Han questioned.  
Schala paused and took a deep breath before she said the name.  
"Vern. An evil, cold-blooded, nasty man. Worse than the Lynx you hear about in you world today. This man has the appearance of a human, but do not be fooled, it is a mask of what he is not."  
"So why did you pick me to do this? I mean look at me, I'm not very buff, and in fact I'm not strong at all. How can someone like me do a job like this?" Han questioned.  
Schala could understand how Han was feeling and explained everything the best way she could. "The body does not matter. It's the soul. The soul is you. With out your soul, you are nothing. Your body is just a matter of cells that you use to interact with life." Schala paused and laughed. "This all sounds so weird, I know, I was sixteen my self once too. What I'm trying to tell you here is that your soul is stronger than any other person's I've seen thus far. I have looked through many times and portals and I have found you, the one who will save us all."  
Han got a little dizzy and thought he was going to hurl. All these things raced into his mind, he didn't understand any of this.   
"So what am I going to do?" He said in a worried but serious voice.  
Schala stared at him "You will save all of us from Vern. There is a man I know over on a small Island in a small town called Arni. Go there and look for a blue haired man. Show this to him." Schala gave Han what appeared to be a pendant of some sort.  
"Tell him everything I have told you, and he will guide you to the right direction." explained Schala.  
"Ok, but how am I going to get there?" asked Han.  
"Trust me" she giggled "you'll know when you awake. By the way, your friends, Rad and Sullivan, shall accompany you. They too have very strong spirits and I feel they will be of great assistance in your long journey. And be careful, equip yourself, you will run into trouble. Now go, hero of existence, save us all."  
The room began to blur and Schala's voice got dimmer and dimmer. 


	4. Hero's Awakening

Chapter 3: Hero's Awakening  
  
"Han… Han… Han…"  
Han began to open his eyes.  
"Han… come on man, pull through!"  
His eyes opened to find himself surrounded by Sullivan, Rad, and another one of Han's friends, Chris.  
"Whoa… I'm alive." Han said as he attempted to sit up.  
"What the hell happened man?! You were getting us worried, are you ok?!" Rad said loudly.  
"Yeah… I think I'm ok…" Han's voice came to a halt when he found the same pendant in his hand that Schala had given him in his dream.  
"What's this thing, where did it come from?" Sullivan said, pointing to the pendent.  
"We have to talk, prepare to be shocked…" Han said with a serious voice. He began to explain the unexplainable.   
"Well, I can't MAKE you guys believe this, but I'm going to explain it anyway." Han said in a very honest way.  
"Shoot, I want to hear every detail." Sullivan said.  
"Well, I was contacted in my sleep… by Princess Schala." Han said, expecting some sort of criticism, especially from Rad.  
"BULL CRAP!" Rad hollered with a smile. "That's not true, sorry, but you're not fooling me THIS time."  
"Dude, are you freak'n serious?!" Chris said in a surprised way.  
"No, it's true, man." Han said with an honest look. Rad just glanced back at Han with a look that said 'You're full of it'.   
"Dude, I'm dead serious!" Han yelled.  
"Ok, ok, just… forget Rad, go on." Sullivan said in an anxious, annoyed way.  
"Ok, so like I said, this will be hard to believe. Now, after I was knocked out, I woke up in the middle of this weird place. There was a street light in the center of this strange place. Then, this old guy led me to this room. I was then introduced to Schala and she told be a shocking story…" Han explained, still unable to believe that he went through this.  
"And…" Sullivan said on the edge of his seat. He was really into it. But Rad, on the other hand, tuned Han out a bit. Rad didn't believe it to much at all.  
"And… well… She explained that an evil man named Vern is plotting to find the Frozen Flame and rule existence and quite possibly become FATE himself." Han said with a shaky voice.  
"WHAT!?" Rad , Sullivan, and Chris screamed at the same time.  
"I know, it sounds weird, but…" Han said.  
"This is serious!" Sullivan interrupted.  
"You've got to be kidding me!" Chris yelled.  
"Dude, you better be telling us the truth!" Rad scolded.  
"I am! I wouldn't kid around about something like this." Han said in the most honest way. No one could disagree, this was serious indeed.  
"Ok, let's use our brains now. We have to take action." Sullivan explained. Rad grabbed a seat and put his head down. Rad was a bit shaken up by this whole thing, who wouldn't?   
"Well, Schala did explain that a man in some village could help us." Han added.  
"We'll hell, NOW he tells us." Rad yelled out.  
"And who may this person be?" Sullivan asked Han.  
"Some blue-haired guy who lives in some village. Arni, that's the name of it." Han said while scratching his head.  
"Ok, then that's where we are going." Sullivan said. "Does anyone here now where that is?"  
"Yeah, I know where Arni is." Chris explained.   
"Good, you're coming with us then." Sullivan said in a very forceful way.  
"Dude, I can't. I'm working at the weapons shop, if I'm late one more time, I'm fired!" Chris remarked.  
"WHO THE HELL CARES! What's more important, making money or saving the world?!" Rad yelled at Chris. Chris just stared blankly back at Rad. Rad just turned around and sighed.  
"Listen, what I can do is make you guys weapons. I'm sorry, but I really need the money. I'll make a map for you to. Besides, you guys will be fine anyway." Chris concluded.  
"That's fine then." Sullivan said to Chris.  
"Know all we need is a ship." Han said wondering how they where going to get one.  
"I can supply you guys with that. My boss knows this guy who he always trades with. His name is Fargo, a ship captain. He's going to be here tomorrow to trade with my shop. I'm sure if you guys ask him, he can give you a lift." Chris said.  
"That's fine then, now the weapons, when can you get them to us by?" Sullivan asked Chris.  
"Well, given that you guys are saving the world, I can get them to ya for free." Chris said.  
"How?!" Rad yelled.  
"My boss pretty understands if I tell him that you guys need them and that you'll pay him back later." Chris said.  
"Fine then, now what are we all going to have?" Sullivan asked.  
"I'll have an axe!" Rad said.  
"Me? Um… I'll have a lance, it's what I'm good with." Han said.  
"I'll go with a crossbow." Sullivan said.  
"Ok then, I'll have it to you guys by morning. Now get some sleep, God knows your going to need it."  
"So you guys are coming with me?" Han asked.  
"Dude," Rad said "I've never let you down, why start now? I mean, we are going to save not only the world, but existence! You don't even have to ask me, I'm in." Han nodded his head and looked at Sullivan.  
"Mano," Sullivan said with a smile, "you can count me in. If you think that I'm actually going to trust the fate of the world with you fools, you've got another thing coming."  
"Ok then, lets get some sleep." Han said.  
  
All of them slept over at Sullivan's house that night. Chris didn't sleep at all, he was working hard over at his job to make sure the weapons where good enough all night long. Sullivan slept in his bed, Rad slept on the couch, and Han… well… Han didn't sleep. He was lying on a mattress that Sullivan had pulled out, but no matter how hard he tried to get comfortable, it wouldn't work. He had the pendent around his neck that Schala had given him. He lay there, holding it firmly. He was so lost and so afraid, he surly didn't think he was cut out for this hero business. He laid there whispering Schala's name over and over, but it was drowned out by Sullivan's snoring and Rad speaking about crayons in his sleep. He wanted to speak with Schala again, he needed to. But no matter how hard he tried to prey or whatever, it wouldn't work. Finally he gave up, and tried to sleep  
Meanwhile, Sullivan was dreaming about the whole thing. He kept on having the same dream over of Han telling this shocking tale. Sullivan wasn't experiencing insomnia like Han was, but instead he just had the same dream over and over.  
Rad on the other hand was dreaming of something totally different than this whole thing. He had a dream that he was fighting killer crayons on a beach with pickles. That was one thing about Rad that everyone kind of liked. Rad was someone who focused on the positive, stupid things that made people laugh, other than the negative scary things that made life dark. But was he cut out for this adventure? Seemed so, no one else was going to keep the group up in high spirits.  
  
They all got up that morning and boarded the ship thanks to Chris's help. They all had their weapons and where set to go. That morning, they embarked on a journey. It was the first day of possibly the last. 


	5. Start

Chapter Four: Hero's Beginning  
  
It was really windy and a storm was in the air. The ship waved back and forth as Rad, Sullivan, and Han slept in there own beds in the same room. Their supply lay on the wooded floor and their weapons lay neatly up against the wall. Rad had chosen an axe for his primary weapon. It wasn't a huge axe, in fact it was very light. But still, it was enough to do the job.  
Sullivan had chosen a crossbow only because he doesn't like to actually stand up in front of someone and take their life away. It was a nice one too, clean and ready to go. But it had a little problem with shooting the arrows; they always seemed to go left slightly from the target it's aimed at.  
Finally, Han had chosen a lance. He always had a skill with one and couldn't stand anything that wasn't close combat. The lance itself was in ok condition. It had a cloth wrapped around the middle part. The edge was very sharp. So sharp, you can throw it as light as possible at a wall and it would still stick.  
Han was tossing and turning. He couldn't stop having dreams of what was to come and if he was really fit for this adventure to save existence. Most of all, he couldn't understand why he was brought to Schala when the machine went off. It bothered him so, he awoke with a scream. He looked around the room and everyone was still asleep. He put his hand behind his neck and took a deep breath. What the hell is all this about, he thought, why me? Is this spirit bullshit true? How the hell was I brought to "The Bend of Time"? He continued thinking and got a head ache. He threw himself off the bed and picked up his Lance as he got new clothing on. He then stood in front of a mirror, swaying the lance back in forth in battle position. Sullivan finally woke up and greeted Han. He then said he would be right back as he grabbed his clothing and backpack to go get changed in another room.  
The captain of the ship, Captain Fargo, greeted Sullivan in the hall way and made his way into Han's room.  
"Ey there," he said with a grin "we are almost at Arni. Its gunna cost ya some bucks. That would be $100 when ya get off."  
"Fine," Han said while handing the Captain $50 "half now half later."  
Fargo smiled and walked back to his post.  
  
Sullivan, on the other hand, wasn't only getting dressed. He took that strange rock out of his backpack that he used for his invention. He figured that maybe someone could help him find out what it was as he adventured with Han and Rad. Could this be the Chrono Cross? He said to himself. But how? I got this when I was young. Some travel guy gave it to me. Why would this do anything weird like it did with Han?" All these questions popped into his mind. He then looked at the stone one last time, and put it back into his bag and went back to Rad and Han.  
  
  
***  
  
The three got off the ship and Han paid Captain Fargo and thanked him for the ride. They were boarded off some place not to far away from Arni. They pushed forward for a while and decided to camp for the night.   
The three set up their own tents and Han built the fire. For some odd reason, he was good with fire, and never understood why…  
"All right, time to relax." Rad said in happy tone. He dropped himself to the ground in front of the fire and started to sharpen the blade to his axe. Sullivan sat down on a log reading a book using the fire as light in the night sky. Han stood about 5 feet away from the others, practicing his moves with his lance.   
"Han," Sullivan said "I've got something I have to tell you."  
Han walked over to Sullivan and grabbed a seat and asked what was up. Sullivan handed the stone he brought with him to Han and he was confused.  
"WOW! It's a STONE! I've never SEEN one of THESE before, have YOU Han?" Rad said while cracking up every time he paused.   
"Shut up, this I serious shit." Sullivan said with a mad look.   
"What was that? Did I hear a voice? Oh well, I have better things to do like WHATCH SHIT DRY!" Rad said with a big smirk on his face. Han laughed but Sullivan just ignored him and began to explain.  
"Ok," Sullivan said with a deep breath "this stone could be responsible for you passing out the other day and having that weird dream. Need this stone so my invention would work and transport things. Now, in my book of inventions, it says you need a Red stone of some sort. I decided to use this instead and see what it would do. Looks like it had a different effect and did what it did."  
"Whoa," said Rad "that's weird. But why would a stone do this?"  
Sullivan looked at Rad and said honestly "That's what I'm trying to find out."  
There was a heavy silence in their camp. All that was heard was the crackling of the small camp fire and the hoots of owls in a nearby forest. The three just sat there and later went to sleep.  
They all got up early that morning and continued on. They finally arrived at Arni. Arni was a small, little fishing village with a dock and few huts. The population was not all that high; in fact it was pretty low. It wasn't necessarily rich, but not poor. Still, it was beautiful and right next to the sea.   
The three teens wondered a bit. Then they asked an old man where they could find a "blue haired man". Not surprisingly, the foggy description was a giveaway, and the three where guided to a large size hut next to the dock.   
They where welcomed by a red haired woman in her late thirties.  
"Hello," Sullivan said in a timid but serious voice "we are looking for a blue haired man…"  
"Ah," the women said, "you must mean my husband, Serge."  
Han paused for a second as that name sounded familiar. He had a flashback of what Schala had told him about a boy named Serge who saved the world from FATE. He thought to himself Ok, this Serge guy must know something if Schala is sending me to him. But what is this guy going to do? Does he know this "Vern" bastard? Does he tell the future or something? What is he going to do?   
"Come on!" Rad said "Don't just stand there with a blank expression Han, lets talk with Serge."  
"Yes, Serge is in the backroom working on his new fishing net. By the way, my name is Leena; call me in the back if you need anything." Leena said with a polite smile on her face. As she walked into the other room, she wondered to herself why three teenaged boys would want to bother with a fisherman who barley talks?  
The three walked into the back room where a man in a purple bandana with blue hair stood, piecing together a fishing net. He paused and looked up without smiling.  
"Hi… y-you must be Serge…" Sullivan said in a serious tone with a phony smile. Serge still stood there… speechless.   
"You see…" Sullivan went on "My friend here, Han, got this…"  
"Does the name Schala ring a bell?!" Han said while interrupting Sullivan's words.   
Serge put his tools down and walked over to Han very slowly.   
"Yes." He said with a curios look. It seemed the man talked on a rare occasion. "What's your business with that name?" Serge said with a raised eyebrow.  
"Well… sit down; I have a story to tell." Han said. He then began to explain his past experience.  
  
***  
  
Serge didn't move at all. He listened in shock and his face turned white. Han then went on, and showed Serge the pendent that Schala had given him. Serge jumped up and violently grabbed it from Han's hands.  
"Where did you get this…?!" Serge said in a violent, loud voice.   
"I told you, that weird dream I had, Schala gave it to me." Han said.  
"That's impossible. No one can enter the Dream Land without the Dream Spirit Stone." Serge said with his head turned from the gang, observing the pendent.  
Sullivan hesitated for a second as he pulled out his bag. He took the stone out that was in his invention and said "Is this what you are referring too?"  
Serge turned whiter and said "Where did you find THAT?"  
"Some guy" Sullivan said "a few years ago when I was young. I was on vacation with my family and this guy… Toma the Explorer… came up to me and showed me this rock. He was in charge of the tour, so he was the one leading the way. Then, he gave me the rock because he noticed how much I loved to study and observe things. It was a rocky place we visited, this rock seemed so unique. I let it lay around my house for a while and later on built an invention that could transport things. In a book, it said that you needed a stone of some sort to make the transportation sequence work, so I figured that I would give this one a try. I did, and that's when the shit happened."  
Serge took the rock from Sullivan and looked it over. He then said "This is a fragment of the Dream Spirit Stone… that is why Han was sent to Schala. You see, this stone can send a person's soul to a place, known as to some people, The Gateway of Time. This obviously happened so that Schala could see Han and tell him what is to be done. The only thing I question is that this doesn't seem at all like a coincidence… FATE is dead… how could this just happen?"  
The room was dead silent for a few seconds when Serge snapped his fingers. "I've got it." He said with a serious smile.  
"You know why this happened?" Rad asked.  
"No," Serge replied "but I know someone who does."   
A few seconds went by with the three of them waiting for Serge to say who. But then Serge opened his mouth, but hesitated. He began to wonder about something, and then spoke up. "There is a mansion… north of here. You're going to need someone to accompany you. The way through the valley is very dangerous." He paused to think out his plan. And he smiled and said "I was tolled… by Schala that a group of innocent teens will one day save existence. It was a dream I had… much like Han's. She was telling me that if a boy and two of his friends ever show up with the Dream Rock and the pendent… I should guide them to the Guru." The three teen-aged boys stared at Serge for a moment. Serge giggled and went on. "Anyway, I would go with you, but I have a leg condition and adventuring wouldn't be good for me."   
Rad looked up and said "Then who the hell is going to show us the way?!"   
Serge called for someone outside. A girl came walking in.  
"Yes father?" the girl said to Serge.  
"Guys," Serge said "this is my daughter, Carle."   
Carle was medium height, a bit taller than Han by an inch or two. She had long, red hair like her mothers and green eyes. Her face was shaped a bit like Serge's and her body was not wide or thin at all. Her skin was also milky-white and beautiful. She didn't seem like other girls at all. She seemed more… tough. She didn't seem like a tom boy at all, just different. Anyone could tell by her appearance.  
Carle looked the three boys up and down with a smile.  
"So," she said with a smile on her face "what am I doing with these three tough guys?"  
"You are to bring them to the Mansion up north to visit the Guru." Serge said very seriously."  
"Why?" she said sharply back in a concerned way. "Is something wrong?"  
"Have them explain it to you. I need to get back to work. Please, Carle, take care of these guys." Serge said as he turned back to his work with a tear rolling down his face. He began to think of his little girl and how she was now a mature sixteen year old women going off to help save the world.  
  
  
***  
  
  
The four woke up from spending the night at some nearby Arni Inn. Carle had gotten here dagger ready and finished putting her hair in a pony tail. Sullivan prepared his crossbow and put his boots on. Rad finished sharpening his axe blade and put his gloved on. Han adjusted his bandits and blade knuckles and put his lance in his back bow holster and spiked his hair. They were ready to go, ready to go off and save everyone from the evil Vern. They all stayed in their Inn for a bit longer to get a full rest and get more equated.  
"I don't even know your names!" Carle said with a smile. "Please, introduce yourself, I mean we are going to save the world together."  
Sullivan raised his eyes and said "I'm Sullivan. Pleased to meet you." Sullivan said with a slight grin.  
Carle smiled. "There, that wasn't so hard. So Sullivan, tell me about you."  
Sullivan looked back at his crossbow and began to speak "I'm the brain of the group. That's all really."  
"I'm Rad." Rad said with a big grin. "I'm the guy everyone laughs with." Carle laughed and Sullivan sighed.  
"Laugh with?" Sullivan questioned "More like laugh AT."  
Rad fired back a huge disgraceful look as his green eyes grew huge. He figured he would fire back a distressful, dirty remark but withheld knowing there was a lady in the room.  
"And who's this nice looking guy?" Carle said eyeing Han up and down.   
"I'm Han" he said without looking up, working on his blade knuckles.  
Carle kept smiling and asked more things about Han.  
"So what are your interests?" She said.  
Han fired back in a deep voice "None of that matters now. We have a freaking job to take care of, don't we?"  
The room went silent. Han was stressed; this whole thing about saving the world really bothered him. He still couldn't comprehend the fact that he was "The One". It still made no sense to him at all.  
"Well then, what the hell are we going to see this Guru for?! Somebody tell me what's going on." Carle said, trying to avoid yelling.  
"Your just a guide, your just showing us where to go, that's all. You don't need to know anything." Sullivan said in a deep tone.   
"Besides," Han added "I can't speak for the others but I don't want someone like you to get hurt. Look, it wouldn't be right if you got in the middle of this, its not worth.."  
"WORTH WHAT?!" Carle said in a booming voice. "I AM in the middle of this now, without me, you're not getting anywhere!"  
It remained silent for a few seconds then Carle added, in a soothing voice, "Look, I'm sorry. I appreciate your concern, but I'll be fine, trust me. Now please… tell me what's going on."  
Sullivan began to explain but Han told him that he wanted to explain it, and so he did. Carle sat and listened to what she could be putting her life on the line for. The question is, is she ready for it? 


	6. The Valley

Chapter Five: The Valley   
  
Han, Sullivan, Rad and the new recruit, Carle, set out to find the Guru. Carle had heard the full story and was able to take it. She was in disbelief and couldn't imagine that this was happening, but she also realized that her assistance was need, even if it meant putting her life on the line.   
All four teens approached the entrance of the valley. The sun was still out and shinning, but it was cold. Winds blew hard in the valley, and the shadows overlapped the walkway, making it an eerie setting.  
"Ok," Carle said with a sigh "this is the valley. Let's be careful here, there are many monsters out."  
Han took out his lance and tightened his blade knuckles. They all began to walk forward as the wind stopped blowing. They stopped… listened… and heard nothing. The clouds came in and the whole area became darker by the second. Han wrapped his bandana around his head like a ninja and Rad readied his axe. There was dead silence for a few moments as all of them stood looking around the area.   
"It's quiet…" said Han with a fierce expression "to quiet."  
"This doesn't seem good, is there another way?" Sullivan said to Carle.  
Carle shook her head with her eyes still looking around the valley.  
"No," she said "this is the safest way."  
"SAFEST?!" Rad yelled "You call this SAFE?! This is like from some weird ass horror story!"  
"SHUT UP!" Sullivan said with an attitude.  
The whole Valley grew silent. No wind was blowing, no crows were crowing, silence stained the air. Then…Han started to her that voice again. "Han… Han… Han…" it was Schala alright. But why was she calling Han at a time like this?  
"I HEAR YOU." Han screamed moving side to side screaming at the sky. "SCHALA! I hear you!"  
"… Han, run… away! Run… please… run!" Schala's voice said coming from nowhere. Han turned to his friends as a fierce thunderstorm came in.   
"Let's get the hell out of here, NOW!" Han screamed. His friends looked frightfully behind him and they didn't blink. They looked scared at something but could not scream. Han turned to run but was surprisingly thrown by a big figure. He lay on the ground shaking his head when his eyes focused on a blue skinned, bald headed, elf eared, dark eyed, tall man with an arched sword in his hand and the blade up against Han's lower chin.   
Han froze and didn't say a word. His friends stood there with their weapons in hand. Carle had her hand on her dagger while it was still in the holster, but didn't move. She just stood there with a worried expression on her face.  
"Are you Han?" The blue man said looking Han strait in the eyes.   
"So what if I am?" Han said, but quickly shut up as the blue man pushed the blade a little bit harder on Han's skin.  
"Is it yes, or no?" The blue man said. Han just stared fiercely back him without saying a word.  
"Fine. If you're not going to answer me, then you shall die." The blue man raised his sword when he was stopped by Carle's voice.  
"YES!" She said with her eyes wide open "He is, please don't kill him!" she said jumping in front of the blue man. The man just simply kicked her to the ground and turned back to Han.  
"So you are the one Vern wants. Ha, promotion here I come." The blue man said with a small, evil smirk. "I am Slash, and I am one of the three greatest fighters that Vern has hired to bring you to him. You can either come with me, or die. I get paid either way."  
Han kicked Slash's blade out of the way, while Slash stared at the other three, and did a back flip at landed where his friends were standing and got his lance out.  
"Never." Han said "I will never give in to you or anyone else not on my side. And no one kicks one of my friends on the ground and walks away without going through me." Carle smiled at Han and began to blush, but Han still had his eyes fixed on the enemy.  
Slash laughed "Fine then," he said "I will have pleasure killing you."  
Slash raised his sword in the air with both hands and shut his eyes. All four of the teens stood in a circle surrounding Slash. They were ready to fight, all four of them, standing there in place with their half broken weapons willing to fight. Their brave eyes were fixed on the enemy.   
Slash charged forward at Rad first. Rad put his axe in a vertical view level with his eyes. His legs began to shake and he began to think Aw shit. I better not die young; otherwise my mom is going to kill me. Wait a minute… is that possible? I mean, if I'm already dead, how can my mom kill me? Aw screw it, I'm gunna nock this blue skinned bastard on his ass. Slash swung the sword at Rad's side, but Rad quickly dodged it by an inch. He then raised his axe, but swung it to block a swing from Slash. Rad then threw a punch and got Slash right on the right jaw bone. Slash shook it off while Rad raised his axe and swung it. Slash dodged it and the axe got stuck in the ground. Rad was then kicked on the ground and left helpless.   
"Next." Slash said showing no emotion. Sullivan was up. He showed bravery and wisdom as his teeth grinded and his knuckles cracked. Sullivan fired a few arrows at once, but Slash blocked everyone with his sword. Aw shit… were the only things that came to mind when he was kicked in the face and thrown to the ground next to Rad. Sullivan was out on this one.  
"NEXT." Slash barked. He seemed to be annoyed with the way his opponents were fighting. He just kept the same expression the whole time. Why didn't he kill anyone? Well, Vern told him that he'd rather have them brought back to the headquarters alive, so that's what Slash intended to do.  
"NEXT!" Slash barked even louder. He was pissed, he wanted a fight.  
Finally, the brave Carle stepped forward. She seemed scared and brave at the same time. Han just stared at her, worried. God damnnit he thought she's gunna get killed! That stupid bitch doesn't know what she's doing! If one thing goes wrong, I'm jumping in. Carle was the first one to charge forward, and yelled her heart out in the process. Slash stood perfectly still with his blade shielding his front. Carle ran and ran until she came close with Slash, and did a spinning jump over Slash's head and landed right in back of him. Slash stood stunned for a second looking around to find Carle, but he new she was right behind him when he felt a dagger blade pierce right into his right back side. Carle did it all right, and it left Slash bleeding all over the place. Blood trickled down his back and Carle's dagger dripped with blood. She smiled and glanced at the others. Sullivan, still lying on the ground, smiled at Carle in surprise. Rad just had his mouth wide open in shock. Sullivan looked at Rad and wondered if Rad's face was glowing in disbelieve do to the fact that she stabbed Slash or the fact that her ass was showing through her short red skirt. Han had a smirk on his face and looked satisfied, but was still keeping an eye out for Carle's sake. Slash… on the other hand… didn't move. Not in pain or shock. He showed no emotion and just stood there with his blade still in his hand, looking at nothing. Carle, still happy, went to attack when Slash jumped high up into the air, did a back flip, and landed right behind Carle. It was almost a mimic of what Carle pulled off, but it worked for his sake. He then smiled and put his arm out. Carle was looking around for Slash. Then black beams started to surround Slash's fist, then a blackish purple ray went flying strait at Carle's back. Han ran forward screaming "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" but the ray went right through Carle, leaving her with a scared expression. Her head and back arched back. The ray went away and Carle fell to the ground with her eyes closed. Slash then put his arm at his side, and put his sword over his shoulder and stood still. Rad and Sullivan raced forward. Han ran over to Carle's lifeless looking body with a tear coming down his face. Sullivan dropped to his knees and checked her pulse.   
"Is she breathing!?" Rad screamed.   
"Barley" Sullivan replied.  
Han turned his head and his eyes grew red. He stared at Slash right in the eyes. Han's teeth were showing and his eyes grew the color of blood every second. He was pissed beyond belief.  
"What's wrong?" Slash said looking at Han. "Do you actually think that bitch would kill me?" Slash's back began to stop gushing blood. It was strange, he showed no pain whatsoever.   
Slash raised his sword once again and pointed it at Han.   
"I finished that red headed bitch, now its time to finish you off. You, the one Vern wants." Slash said with a forceful expression. "Come and get me!"   
Han pulled out his lance and tightened his head band. His thoughts were drowned in the fact that Carle COULD die, and he didn't want that to happen in vain. "You arrogant bastard, I'm going to make sure this girl lives even if it means I die trying." He ran forward not screaming or yelling. Slash jumped into the air and Han copied. The two of them collided with each other and fell to the ground. Han was picked up and thrown at a rock. Han slid down, and quickly got back up showing no pain. He and Slash dueled for a bit. It was lance versus sword, good versus evil. Best of all, it was Han's first battle. The two grew out of breath after three whole minutes of weapon to weapon dueling. Han's shirt was ripped from the blade and his left arm left bleeding with a gash. Slash's face was a bit torn up, and his clothing too was ripped and torn. The fight seemed pretty damn even.  
"Give up yet?" Slash said with a huge frown. Han continued panting for air and put up a fist. "Never…!" he screamed in a deep voice.   
"I grow weary of this, I'll kill you now and at least get some pay from Vern." Slash said. "Now… DIE!"  
He raised his arm to cast another magic attack like what he did to Carle. Han just closed his eyes and prepared for the beam to knock him out like Carle. He was being held down by something so his legs couldn't budge. It seemed to be a force coming from Slash himself. Slash just laughed and frowned, imaging the amount of money he was going to receive and the promotion he would get. Then suddenly, out of no where, a figure jumped down from the upper part of the valley and kicked and slammed Slash. Han opened his eyes and looked around, and saw Slash on the ground with a squinted face. He seemed to be beaten up by someone or something, so he quickly got up and pulled out a device of some sort.   
"I'll get you all next time. Until then, I hope you all choke and die. Good riddance." Slash said. The device he held made a portal that he walked into. The portal closed up and Slash was gone.   
"Are you hurt?" A friendly calm voice said to Han. Han eyed the gash in his arm. "Yeah, I think I'll be ok once I get this fixed." He said without looking up. He began to raise his head and jerked back when he saw the figure standing in front of him. It was a six foot, grey human fox. It had a sword on its back and seemed to be dressed a bit like Robinhood. It surprised Han because the voice of this creature sounded so… human and it stood on two legs. The creature wore no boots and no hat of any sort and had a friendly face. It was a bit ironic to see such a fierce creature have such a friendly face.  
"Do not be afraid, brave one. I'm not going to hurt you." it said to Han in a soothing way. You could tell this fox was female. Han looked at the human-like fox and wondered. Then he asked "Are you a…" "Demi-human?" the fox interrupted.   
"Yeah" Han replied.   
"No," the fox said "no, hehheh. I'm not. It's a long story of why I'm like this. Maybe if you live long enough I could tell ya." The fox giggled and played along with Han. You could tell this was a very caring one.  
"My name" the fox continued "… is… well… you can call me Jade."  
Han put his hand out and quickly shook hands with Jade fox. "I'm Han and a friend of mine was seriously injured and I don't know if she's going to make it. Can you help us?"  
"Sure," she said "there is a big town called Termina just up ahead. I'll guide you there."  
"Good," Han said, "let's go."  
Then Sullivan came running toward Han screaming "CARLE'S BLOOD PRESSURE IS STOPPING!" Han ran over to Carle's body, picked her up with Rad's help and ran fallowing Jade's swift footsteps. 


	7. Death's Face

Chapter Six: Death's Face   
  
The heroic group made it to the town of Termina, thanks to the help of Jade Fox. Termina was a busy, massive, highly populated town with stores and bars, etc. It was right by the ocean and it even had its own dock with trading ships. This town was mostly a trading town, at least that's what it has grown to be in the past years. Most of the people who lived here were healthy and courteous, but always seemed so busy. In fact, this town did not seem like a town anymore, more like a city. Termina seemed to be the most populated place on the land.   
"We are here." Jade said. Sullivan paused for a second to catch his breath while Rad and Han helped each other with carrying Carle. Carle wasn't heavy; it's just that carrying a fallen friend is very hard to deal with, even if you didn't get along with them as much.   
"Ok, where now?" Rad said very curiously.  
Jade's eyes closed and she turned for a second. "I have to see if the doctor is in town. If not, we may have trouble." Jade quickly snapped out of her worrying statues and went on. "I'll be right back, sit tight in the mean time. Talk to your friend… even though she has fallen, it would make you feel better." Jade turned and dashed. She was really fast hence the fact that she was a fox. Her grey fur pushed back as the air hit it while she was dashing. Han stared for a moment with hope in his eyes. He knew he could depend on her, even if they just met.  
"Ok," Sullivan said with a big sigh "all we can do is wait for this… 'Jade'… fox… thing to find us a doctor."  
"What's wrong, you don't trust her?" Rad questioned.  
"Well… yes and no… I mean we just met her. Out of no where a walking talking fox kicks this bad guy's ass and leads us here to save Carle."  
"So what's wrong with that? It's not a sin to help someone you don't know." Rad remarked.  
"True." Sullivan replied.  
The two continued to talk as Han sat next to Carle while eyeing his gash. Funny he thought seeing Carle get hurt kills me more than this blood gushing gash. Hell, what is wrong with me. Is this a god damn dream? I mean what the hell? I just ran into a walking talking grey fox and she tells me she's not a demi-human. I mean, I trust her. But… why does she want to help me and the others? Only a few days have gone by and all this shit starts happening. Aw hell, I'll think about all this later. Carle needs my help.   
Not even a minute went by and Jade came back to report that the doctor wasn't in town. It turns out that they had to take a boat to some little village called Guldove. It wasn't too far away, but you needed a boat. So the four, carrying Carle, rented out a boat and traveled over to Guldove. They were welcomed by man in a sailor suit. He guided them to the doctor's home, and they walked in and explained everything to the doctor.  
"Dude," said Doc "you guys are in a tough fix here. Lay her on the bed and make way." He went on. Doc was a good doctor and never lost a patient cause of his own doing.  
"So what's wrong with her? Is she going to live?" Rad said.  
"I dunno man," Doc said "I'm a doctor, not God. Doctors don't save lives 100% of the time, you know. That's up to Mother Nature. But if you asked me, I'd say that she took a pretty damn big fall. She may live. Just give me time."  
"Lets all wait in the waiting room so Doc can get to work. Lets get more acquainted as well." Jade said.  
  
The four sat in the waiting room and Jade talked to make the other three a bit happier. Then Sullivan butted in the conversation.  
"Why are you helping us?" Sullivan asked harshly. Jade paused a second and her purplish eyes stared at Sullivan's.  
"What do you mean?" Jade said seeming very surprised.  
"What the hell do you care if Carle dies is what he's trying to ask." Rad said, but not in a harsh way.   
Jade explained "Why wouldn't I help you? Your friend seemed to be in trouble. Hell, anyone would have done this." There was a long pause in the room for a good minute. Jade was very honest. She was a bit surprised to see that she was being questioned about why she was helping.   
"I'm not a Demi-Human if that's what you're thinking." She said.  
"Then what are you?" Sullivan said.  
"I am just like you. Only I look different." Jade said.  
"That's obvious." Rad said.  
"We have the same souls. It's a long story of why I'm like this…" Jade said. She paused and made a painful expression while thinking of her past.   
"Um…" Sullivan said walking over to Jade patting her on the back "I'm sorry for doubting you."  
"Don't worry about it. What matters is that your friend makes it." She said.  
"You ok, Han?" Rad said. Han just stood still, staring blankly at the doorway that led to where Carle was being cared for. He didn't reply to Rad, not because he was ignoring him, but because his mind was set on Carle. He was very worried; he kept having the same flashbacks of when Carle fell to the ground. He really felt like shit about it, and found it hard to not picture him jumping in front of the ray so Carle wouldn't get hurt. Was this love he was feeling? Maybe, but he didn't even know. All he knew was that he still had a mission, and weather or not Carle made it, he had to push on. The whole world…. no… all of existence depended on it. Why do I care so much? He thought I mean we just met. We hardly talked or even looked at each other. Why do I feel this? Is it a part of being "The One"? No one could blame him for thinking these thoughts.  
"Yeah…" Han replied "I'm fine."  
Rad came over and gave Han a hard friendly smack on the back.   
"Good!" He said with enthusiasm.  
"I'm going to go take a walk." Han said. He simply got up and walked out the door of the small building. He looked around at the small town. It was entirely made out of wood. The whole town was sitting on pillars that held it up over the ocean. The building where also made entirely out of wood. They where like small huts. One thing this town had a lot of was boats. Boats, boats, and more boats, they where all over the place. This also seemed like a trading town, but it was just so small and low populated. Still, it was peaceful, and the whole place mixed in well with the soothing sounds of a calm ocean.   
Han walked around a bit. He didn't go far, just stood looking out at the sea. His mind was still fixed on the whole situation of Carle and the fate of the world.   
Sullivan, Rad, and Jade, on the other hand, were still getting more equated. They discussed their hometowns and past experiences. But Jade didn't say a word about her past; it was like she was avoiding the whole thing. Even so, they all had a friendly conversation. Sullivan then took out his phone and called Chris, the weapons suppler.   
"Hey Chris" Sullivan said into the phone.  
"Hey Sullivan, what's up?" Chris said.  
"Well, we need more weapons. Have you finished the new ones yet?  
"Yeah Sullivan, just give me a location and I'll ship them. They should be there tomorrow."  
"Ok then, send them to Termina Post. Say, what kind of enhancements were you able to make?"  
"Well, I made a crossbow that shoots much more accurately. I have an axe really for Rad that's much bigger. As for Han… well… I have nothing for a lance. Tell him sorry, but the one he has should do him ok."  
"Ok, thanks Chris."  
"No problem Sullivan. Eh hell, this is my job, isn't it?"  
"Yeah, well… see yeah."  
Sullivan hung up with Chris. New weapons were on the way. In fact, that was a good idea, didn't seem that the last weapons were very useful. Rad got up after a little while to go check on Han.  
"Hey man." Rad said walking up to Han. Han turned and glanced at Rad, then turned back to staring out at the ocean.   
"Hey Rad."  
"Are you ok man? You've been acting like someone else."   
"No, I'm not ok. Hell, Carle might die and I'm the one who has to stop this Vern guy."  
"Dude, we are ALL in this together. And trust me, Carle is going to be fine."  
"I hope so." Han said with a long pause following.   
"Say Han, have you made anymore contacts with Schala?"  
"No…" Han said. "I've been trying, but nothing happens. I don't know what to do. All I can do is hope for Carle's safety."  
After Han's last remark, Doc came running out to Han screaming "HAN! HAN!"   
Han just turned to the Doc saying nothing.  
"Han," Doc went on "Carle is awake. She wants to talk to you."  
"Why me?"   
"I don't know man. Just go do it; it would make her feel better." Doc said seriously. Han nodded and walked into Carle's room.  
It was dark in the room. Han kept walking and saw Carle lying in bed. Her eyes were closed and her hair was let loose instead of the braid that was in before. Han walked up to the bed and knelt beside Carle.  
"Hey…." Carle said in a weak voice. Her eyes began to open up.  
"I'm right here." Han said. Carle smiled.  
"Are you ok?" She asked.  
"Maybe I should be asking you that question." Han said.  
"Oh my god!" Carle screamed eyeing Han's arm.  
"What?"  
"That gash! Aren't you going to get that stitched up!?" Carle said sounding very curious.  
"Don't worry about it, the doc will take care of it later." Han said with a smirk.  
"So are you ok, Carle?"  
"Yeah," Carle said nodding her head "Yeah. Doc says that the ray was to powerful for me to handle. Looks like Slash played unfair, huh?" Carle said with a giggle.  
"Well, as long as you are ok." Han concluded.  
"Han…" Carle said.  
"Yeah, Carle?"  
Carle reached into her pocket and pulled out a small object. She examined it for a second and handed it to Han.  
"Han, I want you to have this." She said with a serious voice. Han took the object and looked at it. It was small ring with snake eyes on it. It seemed to be almost new and it was so hard that not even a metal slab could crush it.   
"Why are you giving me this?" Han said with a puzzled look.  
"Because…" Carle went on "Because… I have my reasons. I think you deserve it more than I do. I mean, you're about to save us all!"  
"Yeah well, I can't save the world without you guys. SO I'm sorry, I can't accept this." Han said while handing the ring back.  
"NO," Carle went on pushing Han's hand away "Keep it, please. Do it for me, I want you to have it."  
Han paused for a second and nodded his head. He seemed to accept it now, and wore it on the pendent he had around his neck.  
"I'll keep it with me forever. Thank you." Han said.  
Carle hugged Han and they talked for a little while more.  
  
  
***  
  
The next morning, everyone got up went back to Termina. Carle was alive and kicking, thank god. The whole team was one again.  
When they all arrived to Termina, Sullivan had picked up the weapons Chris had sent. They were nicely made and much higher quality than the last. The then continued on to the Mansion where the Guru was supposed to be. Carle led the way, which was her job after all. They finally made it to the front gate when they all found two dead soldiers lying in a puddle of blood with the gate blasted wide open. 


	8. The Attack

Chapter Seven: The Attack   
  
"What the HELL?!" Rad screamed looking at the two dead bodies. All of them went running over to the dead soldiers. They where dead all right, one seemed to be shot in the head with some projectile and the other was cut in half. Blood and guts lay all over the green grass right in front of the gate. The gate was sure as hell broken down. It looked like it took many people to bring it down.   
"Who did this?" Carle said, grabbing Han's shoulder.   
"I have no freaking idea." Han said.  
"Looks like an army of some sort did it." Sullivan said while picking up a gun of some sort. Jade came over to Sullivan and looked at the gun.   
"I know who did this…" she said with a stunned look. "There's only one army here on this planet that would use these weapons."  
"Holy cow!" Sullivan said while looking at the gun.  
"Yep, it's a gun. These people don't use close combat that much…" Jade said. She paused and remembered something that seemed to bother her.   
"Who the hell would do something like this?" Rad yelled.  
"A mad man," Jade went on "a man who killed my family and my friends five years ago. A man who drinks blood himself and enjoys killing people. A man who seeks supreme power. A man… named…" Jade paused a second and turned to the other four and said the name in a horrid serious way "Vern."  
Everyone was shocked and Han spoke up.  
"That's the bastard Princess Schala told me about, we have to stop HIM!" he screamed out in a worried way.  
"Yes, he is. I remember you telling me in Termina before about this whole thing." Jade said.  
They all stood there looking at each other when Sullivan piped in   
"Let's go in." he said in a very serious way.  
"We must watch ourselves." Jade said.  
"Oh my god…" Carle said stumbling to the ground "What if the Guru is in danger?"  
"Then we go in for sure." Han remarked. "If he is in danger, the world is in danger. Hell, he knows where to make our next move to save existence! Let's go." He pulled out his lance and walked toward the mansion.  
"WAIT!" Jade said with a holler "We can't just walk into there, we need to sneak in. That place is definitely taken over by Vern's men. If we just walk into there, they will shoot us down like nothing."  
"Fine, then we make a strategy." Han remarked.  
  
They were all in the mansion by now. It took them about an hour to sneak through a well and into the building. It was a damp and dark room. The whole inside of the building seemed to have been destroyed at one time but totally rebuilt. While the five snuck into the mansion, they noticed that this place WAS taken over by MANY of Vern's men. The men were not really human. Instead they where devil like with scaly skin and horns coming out of their heads. They looked much like dinosaurs or reptiles of some sort. They walked on two legs and whore helmets with armed defensive gear. All of them seemed to hold that "gun" that they had found in the front. These reptile-like creatures didn't seem to talk either, only grunted to each other. They carried swords and guns and seemed to be very dangerous.  
The five heroes and heroines lay still in a dark room. It wasn't easy getting in; they all had to take on three guards. Luckily, they avoided getting hurt by not being seen. Rad had managed to throw his axe at a guard's back while Sullivan shot the same guard right in the head, killing him instantly. Han snuck up behind a guard choked him a bit while Carle slit its throat. Jade simply chopped a guard's head off single handedly and didn't seem to really care. It was like she was use to this.   
"Ok, now what?" Carle said while wiping blood off her face. Carle seemed to accept this killing thing. Before, she was just a simple girl who couldn't stand blood and guts. Anyone could give her credit, she really changed.  
"I'm going to scout out the hallways. Han, you come with me. You guess stay here and don't make a sound." Jade said while walking to the doorway with Han.  
"Sure, it's not like we are going to actually walk into a hallway and jump in front of the guards and say 'HEY! I'M AN ENEMY! KILL ME!'" Rad said with a sarcastic attitude.  
"Just stay here." Jade replied.  
Han and Jade walked around the hallway in a stealthy way. There was one guard pacing back and fourth with only a gun in his hand. Jade was hiding behind a box and Han was up agencies a wall. They both nodded and approached the guard from behind. Han did a round kick and the guard fell to the ground, then Jade's blade slid right into the enemy's back, piercing his heart. He died instantly without making a single noise. They hid the body and continued on.   
"You seem to know your way around this place. Have you been here before?" Han said to Jade. Jade simply raised a finger and hushed Han. She heard something. Two guard where grunting to each other not so far away. It sounded like it came from down the stone hall. Then the grunts got louder and the sounds of footsteps grew larger. Jade grabbed Han and they both headed into a room and shut the door quietly. The room they were in had many cages with nothing in them. Then someone or something made a loud mumble.  
"What was that?" Han said looking around the room.  
"I don't know, sounded like it came from over there." Jade said quietly. Jade walked over to a closet and opened it up to find a human guard all tied up with his mouth taped.  
"I'm taking the tape off your mouth, don't make a sound." Jade said to the man. The man nodded and the tape came off.  
"Who are you?" He said.  
"We are here to see the Guru. Do you know where he is?" Han said to the guard.  
"The Guru? Yeah, he is usually up stairs in the library. Why?" the guard replied.  
"How do you know this?" Jade said.  
"Well… I am a guard here. That is, I was until some damn lizard tied me up a threw me in here." The guard replied. He had a pissed expression on his face and you can tell he wanted blood.  
"Do you know who is really behind this?" Han asked.  
"Yeah… it's Vern… who else would do something like this?" The guard said with a raised eyebrow.   
"What are his intensions?" Jade asked.  
"Well, I'm really not sure. I think he may be looking for the Guru. Or he could be looking for the Frozen Flame." The guard said.  
"We have to find the Guru, it's or last chance." Han said.  
"Wait, the Guru was captured… I think." The guard said while trying to jog his memory.  
"You THINK?" Han snapped back.  
"Well, hell, I was banged over the head really hard. It's not easy trying to remember things." The guard snapped back sharply.   
"Can you lead us to the place where you think he may be held?" Jade asked politely.   
"Yeah… if you get me untied."  
  
The three slipped along the hallway with the help of the guard. They finally made it to the prison with no trouble.  
"Ok, here we are." said the guard. Han looked around at each cell. Finally he found a man dressed in blue clothing and a long grey beard and a blue hate of some sort.   
"Are you the Guru?" Han said to the man.  
"Well…" he said with a smile "You are here to save me Han, it's about time you came." Han gasped and wondered how the hell this old guy knew his name.  
"How do you know my name!?" Han said.  
"Well, I am the Guru of Time. Know help me get out of here." The Guru of Time said.  
Han and Jade were stopped when they heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Han and Jade hid but the human guard struggled to find a spot. The reptile soldier reached the last step and spotted the human guard and made a loud grunt. He ran forward and stuck a sword right into his stomach and lifted him up. The human guard's eyes were wide open and he was shaking in horror. The shaking stopped when the reptile soldier shot a bullet into the human guard head and threw him across the room. His body landed right next to the pillar that Han was standing behind. Han froze in horror while looking at the human guard. The guard's eyes were still wide open and blood was leaking out of the gunshot. Red liquid quickly spread through the floor making it a pool of blood. The reptile guard sniffed the air and grinned. It smelt something and walked toward the pillar that Han was standing behind. But suddenly, Jade dropped from the ceiling and slashed the soldier in the back. The soldier's body arched back while Han came running out. Han punched the soldier in the face with his blade knuckles and lanced the soldier right in the face. It moved around for a little while and stopped moving and fell to the ground like a rag doll.  
"Hell, my prophecy is true; you are a great noble fighter. Both of you are." The Guru said.  
Jade took the keys from the dead soldier and unlocked the cell that was holding the Guru.  
"Now let's get the hell out of here!" Han said, grabbing the Guru's arm. Jade helped the Guru up and started to run toward to stairs.   
  
Rad, Sullivan, and Carle where waiting patiently in the same room they have been in all long. Sullivan froze and quickly drew his nice new crossbow when he heard a noise coming from the hall. He stood right in front of the door and aimed his cross bow while Carle and Rad got their weapons ready. The door opened and Sullivan screamed "FREEZE! Oh… it's you guys."  
Han, Jade, and the Guru walked into the room.  
"Thank god you guys came back. I gatta pee!" Rad said.  
"Go in the damn corner." Sullivan said with an attitude.  
"Anyway, we've got the Guru." Han said.   
"Good, now all we have to do is get out of here." Carle said with a relief.   
"That won't be easy." The Guru chipped in.  
"How so?" Carle asked.  
"More of Vern's men are coming. I some how have a feeling that they have found out that I'm out of my cell. Vern isn't going to be happy when he notices that I've escaped." The Guru added.  
"Why does he need you in the first place?" Sullivan asked the Guru.  
"He can't get to the Frozen Flame and reach full power unless he finds someone who can tell the future and be able to tell him where the real Frozen Flame is." The Guru said. The room stayed quite for a few moments.  
"Ok, let's get out of this shit hole." Han said in the fiercest way. The others nodded and agreed. They walked the same way they came in.  
A few minutes later, they reached the front gate where they first came in. They all stopped walking when they heard something.  
The wind stopped blowing and the clouds came in.  
"Aw shit, not again!" Rad screamed, pulling out his axe.  
The six stood there silent, waiting for something to happen. Then, the sound of clapping filled the air. It was a slow, calm clap from somewhere. Then a few chuckles fallowed.  
"Way to go, bitches and bastards, you have made it out of the mansion alive." A weird voice said. The voice sounded feminine and chuckles began to fill the air.  
"Who are you? Show yourself!" Han screamed into the air.   
Right after Han's demand, a figure appeared in the air. It was a female looking person with long pink hair that was flipped in a pony tail. Its skin was purplish and it wore a white dress.  
"Who and what the hells are you?" Rad screamed at the person.  
"I… am Flea, a magician who will destroy you and take the Guru back. My boss, Vern, needs that old fart so we can rule the world!" Flea shouted with their arm's in the air.  
"What the hell are you talking about, BITCH?!" Rad shouted.  
"Bitch?! Nonono, I would be a bastard." Flea said with a giggle.  
"EW, please tell me you aren't a male." Rad said.  
"Male, female, what does it matter. I'm still going to destroy you." Flea snapped back.  
"AW SICK! Han, count me out of this fight. Sorry, but I don't touch she-males." Rad said in a serious manner. Sullivan just slapped Rad in the back of the head.  
"I'll give you all a choice;" Flea continued "let me have the Guru back. If you do, you will avoid pissing off my boss and be able to witness a new world. If not, then you will fight me and die." Flea said with a giggle.  
Han looked at everyone and nodded.  
"WAIT!" The Guru said with a scream. "You need something before you fight him!" The Guru put out his arms and chanted something. Then suddenly, all of them, except Flea, where in the same place where Han was warped to in the beginning, the Bend of Time. The room had no walls and the floor was made up of golden bricks. The Guru walked forward to the group and smiled.   
"Ok, now that we are here, I can teach you people magic." The Guru said. All of them but Han looked around where they where, wondering what the hell was going on.   
"Where the hell are we?!" Rad shouted.  
"You are in the Bend of Time. Han was sent here before I believe. Anyway, I want you to meet a friend of mine who is going to teach you magic. Meet Gizmo." The Guru said while introducing a short, white, furry creature with long arms.  
"Ok, I'm gunna begin now." Gizmo said. He walked along side the line made up of Han, Rad, Carle, Sullivan, and Jade. He first walked up to Rad and looked him in the eyes.  
"Your soul tells me that you are compatible with Earth Magic." Gizmo said.  
"What do you mean?" Rad questioned.  
"It means that you are only able to use Earth Magic. Earth Magic consists of Poison, Spore, Razor, and even Solar Beam." Gizmo explained with hand gestures.  
"Cool, so I can kill people!" Rad said with a smile.  
"Well… yes, but your magic mostly stuns the enemy rather than kill them instantly." Gizmo explained. Gizmo then chanted and gave Rad the Earth Magic.   
Next up was Carle. Gizmo noticed right away that Carle was Fire Magic because of her unique red hair. Then Sullivan was up. Gizmo gave him water/ice Magic. Sullivan was very pleased; it was what he wanted from the start. Then Gizmo walked up to Han. Han stood still with his back strait.   
"You… you are very different. Your soul seems to be compatible with dark and light Magic. This is going to be strange…" Gizmo scratched his head for a bit, trying to make up his mind.   
"What do you mean? How is that possible?" Han questioned, thinking in his mind that all this magic must have been bullshit from the start.  
"It means that your soul is incredibly unique and one-of-a-kind. This is probably because you are the hero of time." Gizmo explained. Gizmo continued to peer into Han's soul and finally his eyes started to bulge out. Gizmo seemed to notice something inside of his soul that surprised him in a good way. It seems that Han really DID have a unique soul. Finally, Gizmo made up his mind.  
"I've made up my mind." He said with a smile. "I will give you Grey Magic."  
"What the hell is 'Grey Magic'?" Han questioned.  
"It's the power of both Light and Dark energy combined into one element. When you progress in your adventure, it may change, causing you to grow much stronger than what you are now. Now, behold…" Gizmo then gave Han the power of Grey Magic. He then walked over to Jade and squinted.  
"I'm having trouble seeing into you." Gizmo said sounding very puzzled.  
"I can't give you any magic. I'm sorry."  
  
Finally the Guru chanted again. All of them where right where they were before. Flea then screamed in an annoying voice.  
"What the hell are you shit heads doing just standing there, LET'S FIGHT!" He screamed out.   
"I have given you everything I can. Magic is one of the only ways you can beat Flea, but be careful." The Guru said. He then walked away a far distance.  
"Now…" Flea said raising a hand to cast a spell "DIE!!!"  
A fireball went flying right at Sullivan, but Sullivan simply froze it into a snowball and it fell to the ground shattering into a pile of snow. Sullivan was stunned for a second and couldn't believe that he had it in him. He then summoned an icicle and threw it at Flea. Flea dodged it and shocked Sullivan with a thunder counter attack. Sullivan fell on the ground, but was still alive; he needed to rest for a second.  
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! That's all you can do?!" Flea continued to laugh when he was suddenly hit with an axe. It was Rad all right. This time, it was no joke either. Flea's side was left bleeding. He stopped laughing, looked at Rad, and stared. Flea attacked Rad with a paralyze attack, but it had little effect. Instead of making his whole body motionless, it was just his legs that couldn't move. Rad tried again and again to move his legs, but it was no use. Flea then laughed and summoned a shock attack.   
"NOOOOOO!" Rad screamed as he raised his axe as a shield. The lightning went strait at Rad. Jade then ran as fast as she could and pushed Rad out of the way. The sad part was that she couldn't save herself, and she was shocked badly.  
"JADE!" Rad screamed out loud. It was useless, she wasn't moving. She lay in the grass facedown without moving.  
"OH NO! BOO HOO!" Flea screamed out loud with a laugh. "Looks like I killed a fox without a hound's help! OH GOODY!"  
Rad didn't appreciate the bad joke, he was pissed. Just looking at Jade laying on the ground got him very pissed. In fact, his anger got ride of the immobility in his legs and he went to attack. Han and Rad ran along side each other. They looked at each other, nodded, and jumped up performing a duo attack, X-Slash. Han lanced Flea right in the eye and Rad did a round swing and gashed Flea right in the left leg. Flea's eye was lost and now he had a blood gushing wounded leg.   
"Damn you morons! How dare you deface the sexy looking FLEA!" Flea screamed out loud, holding one hand where his eye use to be and the other where his gash was. Carle then got ready for her attack; she was summoning a fire attack. She ran forward and did her famous rolling jump and fired a fireball when she reached the climax of her jump. The fire ball hit Flea right in the left side. Flea was really getting beat up on. He was getting more and more mad that his energy bottled up inside of him, causing him to almost go into a trance.  
Rad ran over to Jade while Han and Carle continued the fight against Flea. Rad stuck his axe in the ground and picked up Jade's head and put her upper body on his lap.  
"Are you ok?!" He screamed at Jade. "Jade, speak to me, PLEASE!"  
  
Flea summoned another fire attack, but Sullivan, once again, knocked it out of the sky. Sullivan fired an arrow at Flea. It missed, but the second arrow got Flea right in the chest. Carle then kicked Flea right in the jaw.  
  
"PLEASE! Speak to me!" Rad screamed at Jade over and over.  
  
The battle continued and got rougher. It appeared that Flea was loosing horribly.   
Han summoned a heal move on Sullivan. Sullivan was out of breath, but was back and ready once the Han's spell kicked in. Han and Sullivan then teamed up for a multiple attack. Han fired a holy ray. Once it hit Flea, Sullivan froze it and Han and Carle ran forward and both of them made a furry attack.  
  
"Jade, PLEASE! Open your eyes!" Rad continued to scream at Jade. Jade finally made a moaning sound.  
"Jade… you're alive…?! You're alive!" Rad said in the happiest way.  
  
Sullivan ran forward and chucked an icicle at Flea and got him right in the back. It was a one sided fight all right, they were kicking ass. But suddenly, Flea screamed in a deep, satanic voice and everything when dark. He seemed to turn from pink to dark red.  
"Oh damn," Sullivan said "I think we pissed him off."  
"HAHAHAHAHAHA! You stupid morons have pushed me too far!" Flea said at a force field surrounded his body.   
  
"Jade… are-are y-you ok?!" Rad said looking at Jade.  
"I'm… ok. Are you?" She said in a weak voice.  
"Yes… I'm fine. Can you get up?" Rad asked Jade.  
"I think so." Jade said, while trying to get up.  
  
"HAHAHAHAHA! Now NO magic will harm me!" Flea said with an evil laugh.  
"But…!" Carle screamed.  
"BUT HOW?! Sullivan asked harshly.   
"You are morons! Didn't it seem strange when I would fight back entirely when you guys attacked me with all magic? The more you use your magic, the more immune I grow to it! Your magic attacks are USELESS now! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! DIE!" Flea screamed. He then threw multi fireballs at Han. Han took a bad hit and went flying back. He fell to the ground and didn't move after that. He seemed to be knocked unconscious.  
"HAN!" Carle screamed out.  
"You bastard!" Sullivan screamed. Sullivan then made a futile attempt to harm Flea with an ice move, but it bounced of Flea's shield and despaired.  
  
"Tell me, why did you do that?" Rad asked Jade.  
"Because… because… I had to." Jade said with a serious look.  
"But why? I could have taken it." Rad said.  
"I had to. I didn't want to see you get hurt. You remind me of someone I once knew." Jade continued.  
  
Flea continued to laugh and laugh as Carle and Sullivan made harmless magical attacks on Flea.  
"It's no use." Sullivan said with a pant in-between each word.  
"What are we going to do?" Carle asked.  
Han opened his eyes and tried to get up. He was hurt bad, but was not killed. He used his lance as a hoist to get himself up. He walked weakly toward Carle and Sullivan.  
  
"Quick, we have got to help them. They need our help!" Rad said to Jade.  
"Of course, let's go!" Jade said running with Rad toward the battle.   
  
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! The skinny boy is alive after that rain of fire balls! What does it take to kill you people?! Aw hell, I'll kill you anyway!" Flea said. He then shot more fire balls at the crowed and Sullivan ran around the place trying to freeze everyone he could. Han ran forward and tried to lance Flea, but Flea just shocked him with a shock attack. Han took some damage and failed to harm Flea. Carle then ran forward and leaped into the air, but was shot down by a beam attack by Flea.   
"This is getting boring; I'll end this once and for all!" Flea screamed in a crazy voice. He then raised both his hands and chanted some words. Han, Carle, and Sullivan we all lifted into the air. A red force field surrounded there bodies, outlining their figures.  
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!!" Sullivan screamed in a helpless voice. Carle squinted and Han tried to yell. They couldn't move at all.  
"HAHAHAHA! This field will drain your power and leave you dead! HA! This is too easy! Hey Guru, you can come out now, you're body guards just lost the fight!"  
"Shut up you cross dresser!" Rad screamed at Flea with his axe in hand. Jade stood right next to him with her sword in her hand.  
"You're the one who's going to loose this fight!" Jade screamed at Flea.  
"How that possible? Magic can't harm me!" Flea snapped back.  
Jade just jumped into the air and disappeared while Rad charged toward at Flea. Flea got an ice attack ready. Rad still ran forward with hate in his eye. Flea got ready to fire his attack when suddenly; Jade dropped out of the sky and slashed Flea in the back multiple times. The ice attack missed Rad and hit the ground, turning into a pile of snow. Rad jumped up and did a summersault with the axe in his hand and chopped Flea's left hand off. He arched his back and screamed, but the screaming stopped when he felt another slash on his back. He fell to the ground in a puddle of blood. Han, Carle, and Sullivan all dropped to the ground at the same time, free from the force field that was draining life from them.  
"Curse you..." Flea said while still on the ground and out of breath. "Damn you all! Damn you all!" He screamed multiple times.  
Jade pointed her sword at Flea's face while Rad and Sullivan held him the ground.   
"Where is Vern located?" Jade asked in a forceful, harsh way to Flea.  
"Screw you! I'll never tell you!" He snapped back. Rad raised his axe when the Guru came over trying to clear things up.  
"Now now," he said, "I know all that information. I know where Vern is located; don't worry about trying to squeeze it out of him."  
"I'll never tell you anyway!" Flea said. He then spat at Sullivan. Sullivan knocked him right in the back of the head with the back of his crossbow.  
"Don't worry about him, he's helpless." The Guru continued. Flea then disappeared. Laughter filled the air and Flea appeared out of no where floating in the sky. A portal came into view and Flea flew into screaming "I'll get you fools later!"  
"Thank God we don't have to put up with HIS bad jokes anymore." Rad said with an attitude.  
"Now what?" Carle asked the Guru while helping Han stand up.  
"Well, that's a good question. I say we go to Termina and talk about this whole ordeal. After all, that's why you have come to see me." The Guru suggested. They all agreed and started to head toward Termina. 


	9. The Reason

Chapter Eight: The Reason  
  
They all arrived to Termina and got a room at the Termina Inn. They sat down and chilled for a bit. The Guru talked a bit about why Vern was such an evil man.  
"Ok, now that we're here, what is this 'Vern' guy all about?" Carle asked the Guru with one eyebrow raised.  
"Well, I shall tell you." The Guru began to speak. "Vern, first of all, does not come from this planet. From what I have been told, I and many others haven't the slightest idea where he comes from. All we know is that he is a very evil man who wants everyone to suffer."  
"Why?" Sullivan asked.  
"Well… no one really knows why. Some people say that he could have been teased horribly as a kid. Others think that it's his role in life, to become horribly powerful and make everyone suffer." The Guru went on.  
"How is he going to do that?" Han asked.  
"Well, it's a long story. He basically wants to wants to create another Lavos to drain the power from this planet. This power would be transferred to him, making him possibly immortal and highly destructive. If he gains enough energy, he could also become another FATE. If he became FATE… well… it would be horrible for us all. Our lives would be nothing but worthless puppets in a show that Vern would control. Another way he could do this is by finding the Frozen Flame. If he ever did this, it would be a different story. He would simply wish for what ever he wants which wouldn't be a good thing for our sake." The Guru eyed each person in the room. They all seemed very interested.  
"So, basically, our job is to kill him?" Rad asked.  
"Yes, it is. But doing that is big task indeed. He is a very powerful man, keep that in mind."  
"So how do we go about doing this?" Jade asked politely.  
"Well," the Guru said with a sigh "That's the hard part. Not only will you have to kill him, but you will have to kill the Lavos he is creating along with anyone who stands in your way. You all have very powerful souls; I know you people can pull it off. I have seen Crono save us from Lavos and I have seen Serge save us from FATE and Lynx. I know that if they did it, so can you."  
"Why can't Serge help us?" Han asked.  
"Well, you see, he doesn't remember his adventure. He was sent back without remembering a single thing. His soul is still strong, but his physical condition is not." Carle just stood there looking at the Guru with the most confused look.  
"Then how come he has a connection with Schala." Han asked.  
"That's a whole different story. Anyway, back to Vern: He lives far away from here." The Guru explained.  
"Where?" Rad asked.  
"A big city west of here called New Aegis. It's a heavily guarded city, and getting in will not be an easy task. They need this high security so know one even knows about the new Lavos that is being spawned."  
"What kind of security? What are they armed with?" Sullivan asked.  
"Well, I really don't know for sure. I would expect they would be armed with guns and other weapons." The room went silent for a few seconds, and then out of no where, Sullivan's portable phone went off. It rang twice before he answered it.  
"Hello, its Sullivan." Sullivan said into the phone, expecting a response. Everyone else in the room could just barley here the other person on the line.  
"Sullivan, it's Chris, our town is under attack! Repeat, the town is under attack! I-I-I don't know what the hell to do!" Chris screamed on the phone.  
"Come on Chris, not another one of your pranks. We are very busy right now and…"  
"Bull SHIT! Like hell this is a joke! These soldiers just busted into here and started to randomly kill people! WE ARE ALL LOCKED DOWN HERE! You HAVE to come back and help fight these guys off! And for some reason, some guy says he is looking for Han and if he doesn't show up, HE'S GOING TO BURN DOWN THE WHOLE DAMN VILLAGE!"  
"Ok, Chris, you better not be joking with us…"  
"Shut up, this is NO JOKE!"  
"Ok, fine, just stay put, we'll be right there."  
"Stay put? Hell, where else am I going to go, THEY HAVE GUNS! Listen, I have to go before they find me. GET YOUR ASSES OVER HERE NOW!" Chris then stopped the transmission and Sullivan clicked off on his phone. He looked at everyone in the eyes.  
"We got to go, NOW." He said in the most serious way. They all got up and began to run towards the door when the Guru screamed.  
"WAIT! This could be a trap."  
"Trap? I don't think so; we need to go help them!" Han said to the Guru.  
"Fine, I'll stay here in Termina. Remember: Watch yourselves; this could be a trap for the last time!"  
"Don't worry about us." Jade said as she caught up with the group. They were all out the door by now and the Guru was left alone in the room. He stared at the doorway and wondered if they made a smart choice. 


	10. The Storm

Chapter Nine: The Storm  
  
"Can't this damn thing go any faster?!" Rad screamed at Fargo, the ship captain.  
"Aye, mate, it's going as fast as it can!" Fargo snapped back while tugging on the lines and trying to steer the ship. Everyone was aboard the ship. It was pure luck that Fargo happened to be at Termina at the time along with his ship. There was a harsh storm blowing. Thunder and lightning dominated the skies and the rain poured in the cloudy skies. There was so much rain that it was very difficult to see even ten feet ahead of one's view. Fargo's ship bounced in the waves and came close to capsizing a few times. It was a harsh storm indeed. The wind kept blowing and it was a wet hell. Everyone sat down and secured themselves. Everyone held there weapons and thought about the best way to go into the town. Sullivan was the master of planning, so he began to speak.   
"Ok, first of all, we can't just run in there like fools and start zapping people just because we have magic." Sullivan explained. "We need a plan. Remember, not only are our lives at steak, but other people in town that we have grown up with are being killed." Sullivan said eyeing Rad and Han. Han put his bandana on tightly and Rad made a remark about it.  
"Damn Han, who are you trying to be, Solid Snake?" Rad said with a chuckle.  
"No," Han replied. "It brings me luck."  
"Anyway," Sullivan continued "we are going to have to sneak in. It's our only way."  
"But they need to see Han, what's the use of hiding?" Carle asked.  
"Well, we aren't hiding. Keep in mind, this could be a trap, so sneaking in would be better than running in there like a bunch of fools." Sullivan went on. "Ok, we are getting off at the dock. Chances are, the dock WILL be guarded, so we are going to have to jump off deck and swim to my house staying underwater as best as possible. My house is right by the water and it's blocked by some trees, so that will be our first checkpoint."  
"Then what?" Rad asked.  
"Well… I really don't know. I mean, it's not like I have a map of where the soldiers are. My best bet is that they are at the square. That's where the hostages are being held and THAT'S where they want Han."  
"Yeah, what about me? Why do they want me? What the hell am I going to do when I get there?" Han asked.  
"Well, I personally have no clue why they would want you. Maybe it's something about that "spirit" stuff. I have many reasons to believe that this is Vern. I mean, who else uses heavy ammo like guns? It's got to be them. I really don't know what else to say, so we'll talk once we get to my house."  
"Well, let's hope we survive this storm." Carle said with a worried expression.   
"We'll be fine. I won't let anything happen to you." Han said. "Trust me."  
They all got off from their seats and helped on the deck. The storm was getting worse and waves were getting much higher.   
"Ok!" Fargo yelled "Brace yourselves, mates! We are headed right into this damn storm! Things are going to get worse." They all braced themselves. Han, for some odd reason, was having a horrible feeling. He didn't feel so well and he wasn't sure if he was sea sick. He knew when something bad was going to happen, and he was getting that feeling. Finally, about ten more minutes later, the heat of the storm kicked in.  
  
"Are you ok?!" Han screamed at Carle while trying to keep himself balanced. His voice was totally muffled out with the storm. They have been on the boat for a little while now and the worst of the storm was now. Everyone was holding on to something or helping Fargo with his ship.  
"I'm ok!" She screamed back. Carle's braid became undone and her hair was blowing in the harsh wind. Sullivan and Rad where holding each other by the arm while struggling to get to the bow of the ship. Jade was with Fargo, helping him with the controls. Then, suddenly, a huge wave came into view.  
"EVERYBODY GRAB ONTO SOMETHING!" Fargo screamed at everyone. The ship began to climb up the wave, but as soon as it begun to slow down, the wave went right over the ship. The whole ship was drenched, but it thankfully made it out without capsizing.   
"IS EVERYONE OK?!" Fargo screamed. Everyone responded… except for one person…  
"CARLE?!" Han screamed as he franticly searched the deck. "CARLE!!!!!!!!" Han ran all over the place and seemed to be swifter than Jade at the time. The tied ends to his bandana flapped in the wind like two long thin flags and his feet were nothing but a blur when he ran around, looking for Carle.  
"HELP!" A voice screamed out from some ware on the ship.  
"CARLE?! WHERE ARE YOU?!" Han screamed out loud.  
"Over here! Over here!" Carle screamed out to Han. Han ran over to the side of the ship and found Carle. She was dangling facedown with her foot caught on a rope on the side of the ship. She kept trying to pull herself up, but she just couldn't.  
"I'll be right there!" Han screamed down to Carle.  
"HURRY!" She yelled back up.  
Han thought fast. He first tried to climb down, and then he quickly got back up when he was nearly thrown overboard.   
"HURRY!" Carle screamed out loud.   
"I'M COMING!" Han said in a loud voice. Han then began to climb down for the second time.  
"Hurry up!" Fargo screamed while steering the boat. "There's another wave coming in!"   
Han got lower by the second but tripped and Rad grabbed Han's arm. Rad then began to fall forward and Sullivan grabbed Rad's legs and Jade helped him. Han was dangling and tried to reach for Carle.   
"I'm SLIPPING!" Carle said in a loud voice. Han kept trying to extend his arm, and is hand was one inch away from Carle, but it was no use.  
"HERE WE GO!" Fargo said with his teeth grinding and his back shielding the wave that was about to come. The wave didn't even pick up the boat; the boat just went right through it.   
"AAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!" Carle shrieked.  
"CARLE!" Han screamed.   
Carle was washed away with the wave. Han kept screaming her name over and over. Then he noticed that not even the rope was there anymore.   
"I'M GOING IN!" Han screamed to Rad.  
"NO YOU'RE NOT! FORGET HER, YOUR HOME IS BEING ATTACKED! WE NEED YOU!" Rad said holding onto Han firmly.  
"I HAVE TO SAVE CARLE!" Han screamed. Rad hesitated and then pulled Han up by the collar and looked at him right in the eyes with a fierce look.  
"You come back alive God damn you! I swear, I'll piss on your grave if you don't come back, got it!?" Rad scolded. Han then saluted Rad and pushed himself away and landed in the water.   
  
Carle was caught up in the rope. She was underwater and she couldn't get herself up for air. She kept struggling to brake free from the rope.  
  
Han descended underwater, franticly searching for Carle. He looked everywhere swimming as fast as he could.  
  
Carle still kept struggling. She was loosing her breath second by second. Still, she tried hard to save herself.  
  
Han came up for air and screamed Carle's name once. He didn't hear an answer, so he dove back down and continued searching.  
  
Rad, Sullivan, and Jade stood at opposite ends oh the ship, keeping an eye out for them. The rain began to stop a little, and the waves were coming down, but the wind was still blowing hard.  
  
Carle began to have flashbacks of her life. She saw her family and her friends and other experiences in her life.  
  
Han kept swimming underwater and kept coming up for air. He was getting more and more tired and physically couldn't go on anymore. But mentally, he had to go on. He took a deep breath and somersaulted back into the waves.  
  
Carle then saw herself all alone. Then Han came and sat down next to her. Carle then had flashbacks of her new found friends and what she went through with them. She was still trying to live. She was still struggling.  
  
Han then grabbed the pendent that was around him neck and said to himself Come on Schala, give me a little help here. That's all, just a little bit of help.  
Carle then saw the flashbacks start to fad away slowly. She began to stop kicking and twisting. She looked around and saw nothing but endless blue and black water.  
  
Han was totally beat. His body kept saying to him forget this. Go back up, rest. But his mind said Get going you worthless son of a bitch, Carle's life is on the line! So he swam faster and faster.  
  
"Oh my heavens, where are they?!" Jade said to Rad in a worried voice. The rain was stopping and the tides were calming down. The wind was starting to stop and the sun was almost through.  
  
Carle's flashbacks went away. She stopped moving and lost her breath.   
  
Han kept trying. He was just about ready for coming up for air when he saw her. He immediately sped forward, ignoring the fact that he was about to choke. He finally reached Carle, but he was to late it seemed. Carle was floating facedown with her arms and legs spread out. Her red hair moved with the water and she was still. So still, it worried Han. He finally grabbed her back and began to bring her up. Her eyes were closed and she wasn't breathing. Han then immediately shot out of the water with Carle and screamed toward the ship.   
"There he is!" Rad yelled, pointing at Han.  
"Oh my God, are they ok?" Jade screamed. Sullivan threw a rope over to Han. Han held on the rope with Carle over his shoulder. His face showed no expression, but his pulse was sky high.  
They finally managed to get them on deck. Han stumbled forward and put Carle on the deck. She lay there, with no motion. Her eyes were closed and she was still.  
"Oh my god!" Jade screamed with her paw to her mouth. Han pushed through as Sullivan, Rad, and Fargo stood there with pure shock and disbelieve in their eyes. The storm began to go away and the rain had completely stopped, but it was still cloudy and the waves were still kicking. Still, Carle lay on the deck with no motion and no sign of life at all. Her hair was spread out and her mouth was slightly closed.   
"DO SOMETHING!" Sullivan screamed at the bunch. Rad just looked nastily back at Sullivan and screamed "What the hell am I going to do?! Do I look like a freak'n doctor to you!?" Rad was all up in Sullivan's face.  
"Well excuse ME for trying to HELP SOME ONE! Weren't YOU the one who said it wasn't a sin to help someone?!" Sullivan screamed at Rad. Rad retaliated with a push then a shove. Finally Sullivan threw a punch and got Rad right in the jaw. Rad punched Sullivan back and finally, they were both beating the hell out of each other. It got so bad that Fargo got in to break it up.  
"Will ya cut it out, mates?! Look at yer selves! Fighting over what?!" Fargo scolded.  
"He's right; none of this is any of your faults! Now cut the crap!" Jade said.  
Rad and Sullivan were both bleeding, but made up. They were so confused and pissed off about Carle.  
Meanwhile, Han was doing CPR on Carle. He was working hard, refusing the thought that Carle was gone. He kept on trying more and more.   
"COME ON DAMNNIT! PULL THROUGH!" Han screamed at Carle. Still, her eyes were motionless and she didn't move at all. Han began to notice that Carle's skin was cold. He still didn't give up and kept doing mouth to mouth resuscitation.   
1… 2…. 3….  
1… 2…. 3….  
1… 2… 3….  
Nothing was working; Carle was still not opening her eyes. Han kept going.  
1… 2… 3….  
1… 2… 3….  
1… 2… 2….  
Still nothing  
"COME ON!" Han screamed on the top of his lungs. He kept trying over and over, trying to revive her.  
1… 2… 3…  
1… 2… 3…  
1… 2… 3…  
Han kept going and a few minutes had past. Finally, Jade put a paw on Han's shoulder and looked him strait in the eye. Her facial expression looked at Han in a way that said "You did the best you could, it's time to let go."  
"… Han…" Jade said with her paw still on Han's shoulder. Han was still performing CPR when Jade pushed Han's arms out of the way. Han pushed Jade and screamed "I know what I'm doing! Now go away!"  
"But Han she's…"  
"NO! SHE'S NOT DEAD! NEVER!" Han screamed once again on the top of his lungs. He kept doing the CPR over and over but Carle still wouldn't move.  
"HAN. LET'S GET REAL HERE…" Sullivan said, still in disbelieve.   
"GET REAL MY ASS! I'm not going anywhere until she lives! You can go and save the damn town yourself! Let it burn to the ground, I really don't give a damn! Carle is more important, and if you don't like it, you can jump over board." Han scolded. His eyes where bloodshot and his muscles were torn from swimming.  
He kept on trying to bring back Carle. Then he finally stopped and stared at her. She was still motionless. Han then leaned forward and rested his head on her chest, sobbing a little. Sullivan, Rad, and Jade stood there around Han, trying to give him the best support. Fargo kept steering the ship. It was better out, and the wind stopped blowing.  
"WHY!" Han screamed over and over. "WHY DID YOU HAVE TO GO! WHY, WHY, WHY!" He lay there for a while with his head up against Carle. He had his hand wrapped around the pendent and the ring Carle had given him. He laid there, thinking about Carle the whole time and how she shouldn't have come in the first place. He thought up all the possible things he could have done to prevent it…. then that's when he heard a sound. It was a sound that comforted him in every possible way. It drove the pain away and made him feel like he was truly alive. It was the best sound he ever heard in his life.  
Thump, thump. Thump, thump. Thump, thump.  
Han stopped the sorrow and listened.  
Thump, thump. Thump, thump. Thump, thump.  
He raised his head.  
Thump, thump. Thump, thump. Thump, thump.  
He then heard choking.  
  
"… Carle…" Han said still in the same position. More choking filled the air. Rad, Sullivan, and Jade looked back in total happiness and shock once again. "YOU'RE ALIVE!" Rad screamed at Carle. Han then sat Carle up and began to pat her on the back to help her in her choking. Han's reddish brown eyes lit up and he actually could move. He was in total shock. After Carle stopped choking, Han held her tight. Carle squeezed Han and said "I knew you would come for me."   
Then, the storm was completely gone and the sun was out.  
Rad, Sullivan, and Jade left them alone and talked amongst themselves.   
"Damnnit," Rad said to Sullivan and Jade, trying not to let Han hear "If it's one that that pissed me off, its hokey mushy shit."  
"Well hell, just be happy she's alive, Han would have been broken." Sullivan responded to Rad.   
"Hey mates were almost there. Get ready." Fargo said to them in a calm yet serious manner.  
"Yeah," Sullivan said "I can see the dock from here. Lets get ready guys." Sullivan ordered.   
  
"Listen, I'm sorry." Han said looking at Carle. He was so happy to see Carle's beautiful green eyes again.   
"For what?" She responded.  
"For letting you fall like that. I'm sorry."  
"Don't worry about it, I'm alive, right?"  
"Yeah, that's true."  
They both paused and looked at each other for a little bit.  
"We better get ready, the dock is in view." Han said to Carle while getting up to get his lance.  
"Hey Han…" Carle yelled at Han while he was still walking. Han turned around. "Thanks." She said to Han. He threw her a thumbs up, smiled, and got ready. 


	11. The Exchange

Chapter Ten: The Exchange   
  
Jade, Carle, Han, and Sullivan where crawling onto the small shore next to Sullivan's house not being seen at all. They moved in the stealthiest of way. They climbed onto the shore and took a breather.  
"Where's Rad?" Han asked Sullivan in a low voice. Sullivan looked around and shrugged, and then Rad came onto the shore all out of breath, gasping for air and making a racket. Sullivan ran over and grabbed Rad and pulled him ashore. He then threw him on the ground and said in his ear "Don't pull this shit on me. This is life or death, got it?" Rad just pushed him away and got up, getting ready.   
Jade scouted the area and picked up two soldiers patrolling around Sullivan's property. They seemed to be very similar to the ones in the mansion, only these seemed more… human. They where skinnier and not as buff and had bucket helmets other than the medieval ones in the mansion. She came back and reported it. Sullivan made a plan for Han and Rad, and they did it. Han and Rad then snuck behind each soldier and snapped their necks. It was a perfect move; no one else saw it or heard it. It was silent and swift. They each hide the bodies and gave the signal for the others to come out.   
"Ok," Sullivan said while eying the whole area. "Now, Jade, you need to check the square. See if anyone is there and try to map out where the guards are patrolling." Jade nodded and took off, turning into a grey streak as she ran swiftly toward the square. The whole place seemed silent other than the gentle breeze that moved the trees around and the sound of a nearby brook. The pine trees were still and the road seemed so… empty. Jade came running back two minutes later and seemed to be a little worried.  
"Ok, I've got it all sorted out." Jade said while running back to Sullivan.  
"Ok, what did you see?" Sullivan asked.  
"Well," Jade began to explain, not even slowing down to catch her breath "There are a total of twenty soldiers, all armed with guns and blades."  
"TEWENTY?" Rad screamed.   
"How about a map?" Sullivan asked.  
"Well, that's the thing, I couldn't make a map of them, and it would be useless. They are all randomly patrolling the area." Jade said.   
"Ok, looks like this isn't going to work out as planned." Sullivan said with a sigh. He seemed pretty pissed off. Then suddenly, a voice from a loud speaker sounded.  
"Attention. Han , if you are still hiding, you have twenty minutes to show your self to at the square. Come to the square now or more hostages will die." The voice said. It echoed throughout the town and then grew silent.  
"Looks like they still think you were in the town all along." Carle said to Han.   
"Ok, we don't have much time left, we HAVE to do something." Han said to the others. "If you ask me, I say we go in and attack. I'll show myself to them alright, and I'll kill them in the process."  
"Are you a freak'n moron? If you give yourself up that quick, chances are they are going to kill everyone and burn the village down anyway. We need a plan…" Sullivan said to Han. Han just dug his lance in the ground in frustration. He was so confused about why they wanted him.   
The group sat around and thought to themselves about a plan. Then Han snapped his fingers.   
"I've got it." He said in a harsh solid way. The crew looked at Han and waited for his answer.  
"Ok, first of all, we should consider contacting Chris. He's our inside man and he could help us some how. Sullivan, can you reach him on your phone?" Han said.  
"No," Sullivan replied "It was destroyed in that storm before."  
"Damn!" Han muttered to himself.  
"Wait, maybe we could..." Sullivan was quickly interrupted when he heard a soldier holler.  
"I FOUND EM!" The soldier screamed while pointing his scaly arm at Han and his crew.  
"Oh damn…" Rad said with a confident voice. He said it in a way that was funny and you could realize that that he wasn't taking it as seriously as expected. Still, he took out his axe while the others took out their own weapons. They were quickly surrounded by about six soldiers. They all pointed their guns at them and snarled.  
Han, Sullivan, Carle, Rad, and Jade backed up into each other and froze.  
"Um… Sullivan … an escape plan would be good right about NOW…" Rad said in a sarcastic attitude. Sullivan ignored the comment.  
"Han…" Sullivan said to Han under his teeth and without moving his head "when I say now, I want you to shoot a beam at a soldier."  
"Wow, that's very creative Sullivan." Han said back without moving his mouth.  
The soldiers began to walk forward.   
"We're cornered!" Carle said in a loud voice.  
"Naw, really?!" Rad replied.  
The soldiers got closer and closer. Suddenly, Jade leaped into the air and was no longer seen. The guards stood still, looking around. Then, out of no where, a greenish object went running all over the place killing the soldiers. Each guard fell to the ground with a shriek. Blood and flesh flew throughout the air. Han saw that now was a good time to fight, so he went in and started fighting two soldiers. A second later, the others fallowed. When all of the soldiers where down, the greenish figure stopped running. It was no longer a blur, it was Jade. Her fur for some very odd reason was a greenish color. The green faded away and the gray fur came into view. The party just stood there with their eyes open wide and their jaws dropped.  
"Is there a problem?" Jade asked.  
"Since when could you run that fast and take out that many soldiers?" Han asked her.  
"Well," She said "I'll tell you sometime." She put her sword back the holder and walked forward to the square. She stopped, turned, and made an explanation.  
"We have no time for plans or sitting round doing nothing. We need to save this village. Now let's go forth and fight." She said with pride. They were all very amazed and walked forward with Jade, except for Sullivan. Sullivan stood there, puzzled, and he was not about to go in there without a plan. He thought it was totally stupid to just waltz in there and expect to win a fight. He continued to think, then stopped and walked forward with his crossbow when he noticed something: He wasn't the boss of this whole thing. It wasn't up to him. Sure, he was probably the smartest one in the crew, but it still wasn't up to him. After all, no one was the boss.  
  
Jade and Han walked side by side up the road to the square. Rad, Carle, and Sullivan were standing behind them. Han and Jade were the strongest when it came to physical combat, so they where the ones who were really leading this fight. They then picked up speed and started running at the square. It wasn't that big or small of a place. It was mostly stone with a fountain in the center. Benches were along the gate and a set of stone steps leading to elevated ground was in view. People were tied up with their arms behind their backs and had their mouths taped up. A few dead bodies of the town's people lay in the middle of the path. They still had their arms tied and looked so helpless. Blood stained the area that they lay in. Puddles and puddles of blood were lying next to the bodies. One of them was a young looking woman around her twenties. She appeared to have been shot in the head and then in the chest. Her eyes were still open and her face was frozen in fear. Another body seemed to be a man. Well… half of a man actually. Entrails were all over the road and blood was all over the place. It was strange, it didn't seem like a blade did this… Next, there was a child lying in the road. It seemed the child was stabbed repeatedly in the chest over and over. Its eyes were closed and its face showed no expression. Next, another woman around her twenties was lying dead in the fountain. It seemed like they drowned her first, and then shot her in the back a few times to make sure she was dead. That was probably the reason for the red water that was coming up from the fountain. It was an eerie place. Still, there were many villagers still alive and held hostage. But the soldiers seemed to have good control over them.   
Jade turned into a blur as she ran. It wasn't a green blur; instead, it was still a silver regular looking one. She ran head on into a soldier and split him in half. Han cast a Holy Ray at one soldier. The soldier went flying back and landed in the fountain. He then ducked to avoid gun fire, and then he responded with a Dark Bomb attack. It stunned a few enemies and they where killed off by Jade's swift attacks. Han then lanced an enemy in the eye. He kept lancing random people when he felt a metallic object pushed up against his head. He looked back and saw a soldier with a gun pointed at Han. Right before it pulled the trigger; Carle snuck up behind it and slit its throat. Han smiled back at Carle.  
Sullivan froze two enemies and shot a few in the head at once. He was really kicking ass this time. Rad screamed over to Sullivan. Rad raised his axe and nodded. Sullivan nodded back and cast an ice ray at Rad's axe. Rad's axe charged up with power and he went running around, chopping people in half. Once they met his axe, they turned into ice and shattered into hundreds of pieces.   
Jade got kicked to the ground, but choked a soldier with her legs and threw herself back up. Jade didn't notice, but behind her, a soldier was about to chop her head off when Han came flying over and lanced the enemy right in the privets. The soldier went stumbling back in pain and Han simply lanced him right through the head. Han yanked the lance out and dueled with a few more.  
Carle burned one to ashes and slit a few throats. Rad paralyzed a few while Sullivan froze the rest. The fight was just too easy.   
Sullivan in the middle of the square, which was now a battlefield, felt a slap on his shoulder. He slickly turned around and pointed his crossbow at…  
"CHRIS?! Where the hell have you been?!" Sullivan said to Chris. Chris stood there with shotguns and grenades. He looked more than ready for this fight.  
"I'm fighting with you; it's what I was born to do!" Chris responded. He made a satanic laugh and started shooting soldiers with hate in his eyes. Sullivan shrugged and continued his fights.  
A few minutes later when every soldier was dead, a heavy silence filled the air. All the hostages were alive and the town seemed to be free.  
"Why was that just too easy?!" Rad shouted.   
"Who cares, lets free the hostages." Sullivan began to free everyone one by one. Within a few quick minutes, everyone was free.  
"Will somebody please tell me why that was so easy?!" Rad kept asking.  
"I want to know the same thing." Jade said in a serious, concerned way. Carle stood there out of breath while hanging around Han's shoulders. Rad was sitting down, taking a rest. Then, suddenly, clapping filled the air. They all paused from what they were doing and looked around the area. Then a shadow figure stood on top of the fountain. It began to form into a tall, plump, evilly dressed man with a long sickle in his hand. He began to laugh and giggle. His eyes were black and his skin was tan. His hair was black with long spiky hair. He wore a cape and black iron armor. He continued laughing over and over, then the sky turned blackish-red and the wind started to pick up.  
"Finally," The man said. "I have seen the heroes up close." He smiled and his teeth where jagged. He laughed a few more times and finally, someone spoke up.  
"Who the hell are you?!" Han asked.  
"Me?" The man responded "I'm your worst nightmare!" Thunder roared in the sky and lighting crashed, landing in the village. "I'm the black that's fills the night sky!" More lightning came down and struck a few homes. Sullivan told all the villagers to run, and they did, forming a huge rushing mob running all over the place trying to find cover. "I'm the pain you feel when you are hurt!" Rain started to pour while the man continued. "I'm the fear that enters your veins! I'm the death you see everyday! I AM..."  
"VERN!" Jade screamed with her sword held with two hands and her eyes filled with hate.  
"Well Jade, it's been a while." Vern said with an evil smirk. "So what have you been up to since you left my army?" Silence stained the air as everyone stared a Jade.   
"Oh, I see," Vern continued "You are helping these fools with trying to 'SaVe tHe wOrLd'." Vern said with a little chuckle. He flung his cap back and it moved with the wind.   
Everyone was still looking at Jade, wondering what Vern meant.   
"Jade, what does he mean…?" Carle asked.  
"Yes… yes, it's true." She said, lowering her blade and looking at the ground.  
"That's it; tell them your REAL past and how YOU were my greatest soldier! HAHAHAHAHA!" Vern said with a tremendous laugh.  
They all just stared at Jade, looking her in the eyes. Her purple eyes didn't meet theirs; they stared at the ground in misery. She then raised her head without saying a word. It was dead silent. So silent, you could hear a pin drop. Even the fountain stopped working. Jade stared at a dead child who was killed because of the soldiers. She seemed so hurt and frustrated.  
"None of that matters…" Jade said in a calm way "none of it does. But you… you are the reason why! It was all YOU!" Jade screamed at Vern.  
"Oh really? Jade, that hurts… after everything I gave you." Vern responded to Jade.  
"SHUT UP!" She yelled along with a fierce face.  
"You know, you are really starting to sound like father." Vern responded in a slid manner.  
Jade raised her head in disgust. Vern chuckled a little bit and continued.  
"So… go on… tell your helpless friends about your past." Vern ordered. Jade just stood still and a tear came down her face. She saw a flashback and immediately charged after Vern.   
"GAAAAAAH!" She screamed as she ran forward at Vern with her sword in her paws. She went to swing when Vern disappeared and reappeared behind Jade. He kicked Jade to the ground and put his sickle up hard against Jade's throat.  
"Tell them." He ordered.   
She backed up against the fountain and sat up with her back parallel with it. Vern was still sticking the sickle at Jade. Han started at her with confidence and nodded, sort of saying that it was ok for her to talk about her past. Jade sat there with sadness in her eyes. She looked up at Han with pure sadness. Han stared back in a comforting but defensive way. He looked at Vern and raised his lance.  
"Let her go." he ordered to Vern.  
"… Excuse me…?" He raised his lance higher and didn't move. Vern closed his eyes and sniffed the air.  
"Ah… so you are Han. I can tell the sent of your soul." Vern said to Han. He raised his arm and sent Han flying back.   
"Not so strong, I see. When Jade tells her tale, you're coming with me. I need you for something." Vern said with an evil smile. Han got up with Rad and Carle's help. He was wondering what he meant.  
"So are we going to talk?" Vern said to Jade. Jade was still looking at the ground, seeing flashbacks.   
"Everyone, sit tight." She said, raising her chin and closing her eyes. Everyone then saw everything start to blur, then black.  
  
"Whoa…" Rad said.  
"Where the hell are we?" Han asked.  
"You guys are ok, just relax. You are being telepathically contacted by me." Jade said to them.  
"Why? What's going on?" Carle asked.   
"I am showing you something you need to see." Jade said.  
After Jade's voice faded out, they were all showed a seen a nineteen year old girl working in a small village in a store.   
"Hey dad…" the girl said to a middle aged looking man "what time should I close the store for you?"  
"Around six would be a good time. I'm going to go home and work in the back." The man said in a happy voice.  
"Ok dad, bye, I love you!" The nineteen year old girl said while stacking store items.  
"I love you too Jackie, take care of the store for me while I'm gone. See ya!" The man said while walking out the door.  
Jackie was pretty tall and had beautiful dark hair and brown eyes. She had shocking white skin and was pretty skinny for a girl like her. Her hair was very long and she seemed to love work as she was working.   
"I don't get it, what does this mean?" Carle asked.  
"Just keep watching." Jade replied.  
Everything then faded out and there was black.  
"Um… ok, now what?" Sullivan asked.  
"I'm showing you the next memory. Now, pay close attention." Jade said with a calm soothing voice.  
Next, they where being shown a place in the middle of the woods. Jackie was there along with a strange Demi-human that resembled a wolf. The wolf was dressed in armor with a green cape and a sword at his side. He had red eyes and bluish gray fur. He seemed to be pretty buff and strong and it was obvious he may have been in the army.  
"When are you leaving?" Jackie said with her back turned to the wolfish creature. She had a long sad face and she seemed to be very sad.  
"Tomorrow." The wolf said. "I have to get set tonight and get the troops ready for battle. That new commander, Vern, seems to really know what he's doing if he wants us to take over The City of Aegis."   
"Vern!? He was a commander back then!?" Rad questioned.  
"Yes he was. He had just become one at that time." Jade replied.   
"But… how!?" Rad asked.  
"Shhhhhh… keep watching." Jade remarked.  
"Why does he want you to go? Can't he get someone else?" Jackie asked all stressed out. The wolf creature sighed.  
"Look, Jackie, you know I love you."  
"Then why don't you just… not go?!"   
"Because this place needs me. Jackie, you'll see. Once we take over The City of Aegis from the wrong people, we will build a new city and create many new technologies that could save people's lives. It's a city of high energy, and we need it to accomplish our goal. Vern promised that if we got Aegis, we would be healthier people. We would be able to create new medication and work miracles to make people live much longer." The wolf said with much confidence. One thing that was surprising was this wolfish person had a gentle male's voice, not a fierce one you would expect from a wolf.  
"It's bad enough my dad won't let me marry a Demi-human, but it's worse to know that I could lose you." Jackie said while turning around and looking at the wolf.  
"Jackie… your father has to understand. Just because I am a Demi-human doesn't mean I don't love you and won't care for you. I will marry you once I get back from this mission. I promise you I will come back alive." The wolf said. "I will tell that to your father when he comes with us tomorrow. Your father's a good man and he likes me very much. Many are the times we have battled side by side."  
"He doesn't know I am seeing you." Jackie stated.  
"Trust me, he talks about how much he would like it if you were married. He has hinted that to me a few times, I am very sure he will not be disappointed." The wolf said.  
"I hope your right." Jackie said. Jackie came forward and hugged the wolf human tightly.   
"Wolfus… please… comeback alive." She said to him with a tear rolling down her face. Wolfus patted her on the back and kissed her.  
"I will, don't you worry." Wolfus said with confidence and security.  
"Wolfus, we must get the soldiers ready, hurry!" a gorilla looking Demi-human said Wolfus.  
"I'm coming Gorillaj, tell the others to get ready to hand out the weapons and supply.  
"Sure thing." Gorillaj said while walking away.   
"I've got to go now, be sure to be there during the sendoff at the dock." Wolfus said turning away from Jackie. Jackie stood there with tears in her eyes as she saw Wolfus walk toward the camp. The memory then began to turn to black.  
"I don't get it, why is this important?" Sullivan asked.  
"Good things come to those who wait. Now, pay very close attention, this will all make sense in the end." Jade said.  
The blackness went away and they saw Jackie waving to her father and her fiancé. She stood there, crying, as she watched them bored the ship. Vern then came out and addressed everyone who was waving people goodbye at the dock.  
"When we return, it will be a new world! Everyone will be able to live happier lives! It will all happen after we get ride of the evil Dragoons and destroy their evil plans to rule the world!" Vern said with his pudgy arms up in the air. Jackie looked at him and fell to the ground. She had a horrible stomach ach as it seemed and she got mud all over her dress. She ran forward and leaped into the water as the ship set sail. She swam harder and harder, fighting off the waves. She finally grabbed onto the ship and climbed aboard.   
"Is she stupid or something? Wouldn't she be seen?" Carle asked.  
"Well… this girl had her reasons. She did want to be with her guy and her dad. She would do anything for them." Jade responded.   
"Yeah, I noticed that, but wouldn't she have been caught?" Carle asked.  
"Keep paying attention." Jade replied.  
Jackie got up off the edge and hid behind a barrel. She looked around and found a regular human soldier sleeping in the corner. She snuck over and took the man's clothing and dressed herself as a soldier on the ship. The uniform was a bit loose for her, but it still worked, nobody noticed her. Finally, she managed to sneak t the lower deck and hide around there for the time being. Then, the memory started to darken and became black once again.   
"Wow, she's doing all this for love. That girl's got courage." Han remarked.  
"Yes… she sure did." Jade replied.  
The blackness went away and Jackie came into view. They were in The City of Aegis and many soldiers have died. This city was huge, with skyscrapers taller than the sky and streets and people all over. Many people had died; even some of the innocent ones had perished. It was a dreaded sight.  
Jackie was walking into a room where she had fallowed her father and Wolfus. She had been avoiding fights and kept herself alive all to fallow them, it seemed. She opened up the room's door and it was a big, spacious room with a metallic floor and hard walls. Computers were all over the place. Jackie walked in and found a smear of blood on the floor. She looked around the room, fallowing the trail of blood. She kept walking and found her father laying on the ground facedown. She screamed and found Vern standing right above her father. Jackie's father was holding onto Vern's leg with force. He was still barely alive.  
"It was a man, he ran that way!" Vern said while pointing at a nearby door. "I tried to stop him, but he already got your dad!"  
Jackie walked forward with her hand to her mouth. She crouched down and tried to speak with her dad.  
"Daddy…"  
"… Jackie… what are you… doing her…? Run…!" Her father demanded.  
"I wanted to look after you and Wolfus…"  
"What are you doing… get… away…!" Her dad interrupted.  
"Hurry, your father's killer ran off to that room." Vern hollered.  
"Jackie… don't… Vern… was… the one… who… k-k-k-k..." Jackie's dad could finish what he was saying. His eyes were still open, but he stopped moving and blood came out of his mouth. Jackie stood there, stunned.   
"Daddy…….." She said, still in absolute shock. She immediately broke into tears and Vern came over and let her cry on his shoulder.   
"I know where the killer went, go into that room; Wolfus is in there with him." Vern said. Jackie stopped the sobbing and picked up her father's sword and froze, looking at her dead father. She then let out a few more tears and walked forward to the other room. Vern stood there and didn't move, staring at Jackie's father.  
Jackie ran into the other room to find Wolfus fighting a fat, green skinned, and elf looking man. She ran forward to Wolfus's side. Wolfus leaped back from an attack while the fat green man stopped fighting and looked at Jackie.  
"What are you doing here!?" Wolfus screamed.  
"I fallowed you!"  
"What?!"  
"I saw what this man did to my father, and I'm going to kill him!" She yelled.  
"What the hell are you talking about?!" The green man said. "I am Ozzie, the great warrior!"  
"I don't care, your still going down!" Jackie screamed out. She ran forward with the sword and attacked. She was hit with a beamed and thrown back. She went to get up but Ozzie had already summoned another attack.  
"Get ready for this!" Ozzie screamed. "Ultra Black Beam!!!" Ozzie screamed on the top of his lungs. A blackish beam went flying directly at Jackie.  
"NO!!!" Wolfus screamed as he ran forward and jumped in front of the beam, blocking it from Jackie. He fell to the ground and moaned.  
"WOLFUS!" Jackie screamed as she ran forward. She was immediately frozen in a force filed. She couldn't move at all, all she could do was stare helplessly at Wolfus, who was laying on the ground and barley still alive.  
"I'll cut you a break this time, Wolfus! Instead of killing you…" Ozzie said as he opened a portal and threw Wolfus in it "I'll send you to another dimension!" The portal closed up and Wolfus was gone.  
"Holy shit! Who is that guy!?" Han yelled.  
"Keep watching." Jade ordered.  
Jackie was still frozen in a force field. Ozzie stared at her as he walked forward, laughing out of control.   
"You're a good looking thing! I always find it amusing when a human and a Demi-human fall in love! What shall I do with you now…" Ozzie said, thinking about Jackie's fate.  
"AHA! I've got it!" He said with a grin. Ozzie put his arms out and a ray hit Jackie with much force. She screamed and her head and back arched back. Her long dark hair shot back. She then fell onto the floor and passed out.   
"Now," Ozzie went on, "When you look into the mirror, at least you'll look similar to your lost love! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAA!" Ozzie said with a laugh. He then entered a portal and disappeared.  
Jackie got up and saw everything all blurry. Vern had helped her up as she struggled to gain balance.   
"Your ok." Vern said to her.  
"Where's Wolfus?" She said all worn out.  
"I don't know, but you are in no condition to worry. Look at yourself…" Vern said, leading Jackie to a mirror next to a computer. She looked at it and didn't she herself… only a purpled eyed, grayish blue, big eared fox.  
"Oh my god! What's wrong with me?!" She shrieked. "I'm a Demi-human!"  
"No, you are just a human fox. Ozzie has those powers." Vern said.  
"Oh my God! You're…" Sullivan said  
"Hush and keep paying attention."  
Jackie was still in shock as she stumbled back into Vern. Vern turned her around with force.  
"I can give you revenge." He said with an evil smirk. "I can help you get even with Ozzie and avenge your father and fiancé's deaths." He said in a deep evil tone.  
"Wolfus didn't die! He's around here; I just need to find him!" Jackie said with much confidence and sorrow.  
"No… my dear… I don't think that's possible." Vern said as he walked in a circle around Jackie, eyeing her. Jackie stood still looking strait ahead.  
"Come on!" Vern said with a huge evil smile "Come with me, by my side, and get revenge!" Vern said with an evil holler and a big smile, still circling Jackie. Jackie closed her eyes and put her head down. A tear came down her new doglike face and said "Yes."  
Jackie put her sword up in the air and screamed "I WILL AVENGE MY FATHER!" She swung and smashed a computer. "I WILL AVENGE WOLFUS!" She smashed a desk in half. "I'LL AVENGE EVERYTHING!" She screamed, swinging her father's sword all over.  
"GOOD!" Vern said with chuckle. "You will be much assistance in my plan."  
Jackie stopped her rage and kneeled down and asked what Vern meant, out of breath.  
"What do you mean? What's your plan?"  
Vern paced through the room very slowly for a few seconds. His pudgy human face had a big smile on it and his eyes were almost smiling. He then stopped… glanced at Jackie… and laughed in the most evil way possible. Jackie just stared back at him with confusion.   
"My plan was to… 'Make this world a better place'… correct?" Vern said while still looking at Jackie. Jackie nodded.  
"Well…" Vern went on "I'm not going to lie to my new side kick. Unfortunately… my goal was NEVER to make this world a better place."   
"Then… why did you… take it over…?" Jackie asked, worried and frightened at the same time. Vern just smiled back.  
"Have you heard the story of…Lavos?" Vern asked. Jackie just nodded back. "How about…FATE?" Jackie nodded again.  
"Well," Vern added "What would you think if I gave you immortal powers and anything you ever wanted? What if you could live the dream that you always wanted?"  
"What are you trying to say?" Jackie asked.  
"Well, I want to grow a new Lavos… right here… in this city. This city has all the technology to do that." Vern said Jackie shivered and picked up her sword.  
"Now, now, no need to get antsy. Let me finish. Once I create another Lavos, I can drain the powers from the planets core. Once that is being done, I can enter the energy into my soul and veins, making me highly powerful. Once I do this, I… will… be…….. FATE! I shall help you avenge your father's death!" Vern said with a snap of his jaw.   
"NO! I will not let you create another Lavos!"  
"Relax; this one will… benefit… the human race. Trust me."  
"I'm only in this for revenge."  
"You shall. All you have to do is come with me."  
The dream then began to blacken. The image of Vern and Jackie began to fade away along with it. The whole dream sequence was over and everyone was back to the square where Vern still stood, pointing his sickle at Jade.  
  
"So you have told them everything." Vern said to Jade.  
"Yes… all accept the final." Jade replied in a weak manner.  
Sullivan got up, still feeling the back of his head. "So you're really Jackie?" He asked.  
Jade hesitated and replied. "Yes."   
"So what happened after that?" Rad asked.  
"She joined me by my side." Vern continued with his eyes still fixed. "We took over many challenges together and fought many battles side by side. She had the ability to dash throughout the battlefield, making a green streak in the air and killing many of her foes. We decided to call her 'Jade' from then on, hence the fact that she ran while making a green streak in the air."  
"Then why do you guys hate each other?" Carle asked.  
"Well, she didn't like the fact that I was killing people for power. She got mad at me when I criticized her about not killing innocent people, so I did it myself. That's when she left, searching for a way to stop ME." Vern said with a spit and a holler.  
"You promised me revenge! That's all I wanted! I wasn't in it for the killing; I was in it because you said you would help me seek my revenge! To this day, I still have not gotten it. I still want to kill my father's killer!" Jade screamed.  
"Ha…. Looks like you revenge could have been completes if you killed me." Vern said while turning his back to Jade. There was a long silence.  
"What do you mean?" Jade asked. Vern turned around, making his black cape flap in the wind. The rain started to poor harder and the night grew darker. Vern's teeth were showing and his eyes were staring with evil.  
"I killed your father." Vern said with a huge satanic grin. He stood there with one arm at his side and the other on his sickle. He laughed with the rolling thunder. Jade threw her head up and fixed her eyes on the laughing evil man. She had flashbacks of her father and she could hear her pulse. She began to breathe heavily and harder after every breath. Vern continued laughing on and on and on.   
"All along, it was you?" Jade asked.  
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA! What's wrong? Mad that you were used?! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!!!" Vern replied.  
Jade began to radiate green light. She flipped up onto her feet and drew her sword.   
"You bastard!" She yelled. "GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Jade screamed as she charged forward. An emerald green blaze was being trailed by her swift movements. Her sword was raised in the air and her eyes showed much rage and hate.  
"Um…" Rad said "I think this would be a god time to…"  
"FIGHT!" Han yelled as he charged forward with his lance tucked under his right armpit. Carle didn't think, she just ran along side with Han with a fierce expression shown at Vern.   
Vern stopped laughing and jolted when he saw the four sixteen-year- olds and a green beam coming right at him. He actually showed fear on his face. His jaw dropped and it was possible to see the whites of his eyes. He grabbed his sickle and went to jump into the air when he felt a freezing cold beam hit him in the back. He winced in pain for a second and retaliated with a fire beam. It missed Sullivan and hit Rad. Rad screamed and made himself stand back up.  
Jade leaped into the air and slashed Vern in the front multiple times.   
"YOU COLD BLOODED BASTARD!" Jade screamed. Her voice was so loud, it sounded like a banshee and a wolf screaming at the same time. She kept swinging away until she felt a lighting bolt hit her totally unguarded. She flew back and fell face down on the ground.   
Han and Carle ran along side each other. They saw a fireball come flying from Vern and it was suddenly frozen by an ice spell and charged with a green light. Rad and Sullivan pulled that move off well. Sullivan was getting good at diverting attacks and mirroring them. He was starting to consider doing that from now on.   
Han set up the charged green ice ball quickly. He was trying to maneuver around it but quickly at the last minute took advantage. The ball was set up into the air and Carle spiked it right at Vern. Vern tried to move, but it just hit him right in the face. Vern got so mad that he summoned a charged-up lighting attack. It hit everyone but Jade and Rad was totally knocked out from the attack. Vern jumped up and sliced Han in the back with his sickle. Han fell forward next to Jade and screamed. Jade was alive and still very pissed.  
Carle did a spinning kick toward Vern, but was flipped in the air and kicked to the ground very hard. Sullivan tried to freeze Vern, but Vern dodged every attack and slammed Sullivan with all of his force. Sullivan flew right into a bench, breaking it in half. He was out cold.  
Rad summoned a paralyze attack and sent it right at Vern. Vern diverted it right back at Rad. Rad tried to get out of the way, but was hit with the attack and paralyzed. He fell to the ground like a rag doll and his eyes closed.  
"Is this all you 'heroes' can do?" Vern said with his sickle over his shoulder.  
"VERN!" Jade screamed. She was standing along with Han who was bleeding all over.  
"HA! You're still alive! I must have trained a really good soldier." Vern said getting ready to attack. Han and Jade ran forward. Vern shot a black beam at Jade, but Jade jumped it and landed in a tree. Han was still running, and right when he was going to lance Vern, Vern disappeared and reappeared right behind him. He then turned Han around and picked him up single-handedly by the throat. Han kicked his feet in the air, dropped his lance, and struggled to break free. Vern looked him in the eyes.  
"My…" Vern said "… What strange red eyes. You are the Chrono Trigger… aren't you?" Vern then threw Han to the ground, put his foot on his chest, and raised his sickle. Han tried to reach for his lance when Vern kicked it out of the way.  
"Han, the Chrono Trigger. HA! I've finally got you!" Vern said. Jade was still in the trees. She was getting ready for an attack, but wanted to wait for the perfect moment. She didn't want to kill Han in the process.   
"What do you want with me?" Han said.  
"Aw, come on, Han. The only way to get into the Holy Land is by using the Chrono Trigger as the key. DON'T play dumb with me!"  
"But I…"  
"SHHH! Not another word. Don't try to keep me away from the Frozen Flame! You have a choice…" Vern said. But he was interrupted when he saw Jade flying right at him. Vern knocked her out of the air with a Hyper Punch and kicked her to the ground. Han jumped up, grabbed his lance, and got into battle position. Vern quickly picked up Rad, Sullivan, Jade, and Carle and laid them in a row and raised his sickle like an executioner.  
"Like I said… you have a choice. Come with me, or your entire friends die." Vern said. Han hesitated and waited for a miracle to happen, but nothing happened. He then tried to think up a way to save his friends, but it was no use. He threw his lance away, took off his blade knuckles, threw them, got on his knees, and put his hand over his head.   
"No Han, DON'T!" Carle screamed.  
"I have to! It's either you or me!" Han screamed back.  
"Very well then." Vern said while appearing behind Han. He took Han by the arm and put a dagger to his throat. He whistled, and a few of the 'reptile' soldiers came over and took Han away.  
"HAAAAAAAN!" Carle screamed while charging forward. She ran over to Han and tried to pull him away, but Vern threw her away.  
"I'll come back for you! I swear!" Carle screamed out in tears.  
"Don't you dare! Stay alive! Forget about me!" Han screamed back. His face was red. Vern the opened a portal and led Han and the soldiers into it. Vern got into it too, and the portal disappeared.  
"NNNNOOOOOOOOOOO!" Carle screamed, crying totally out of control. She fell to her knees and cried her heart out. Han's lance was lying right next to her. She picked it up, looked at it, and screamed "I WILL COME BACK FOR YOU!" Jade and Sullivan helped Carle, but Rad stood there looking at where the portal use to be. His eyes where bloodshot and the veins in his arms were showing. "Keep yourself alive, where coming for you… brother." He said as he turned around, and headed toward Carle. 


	12. Key to Destruction

Chapter Eleven: Key to Destruction   
  
Han woke up, and he was lying in a dark room. He stood up, stretched, and looked around for a bit. Then, he realized that he was in the Bend of Time once again.  
"Han, there you are." A familiar voice said.  
"Schala! Oh, I'm so glad to see you!" Han said as he knelt down on one knee out of respect.  
"Relax, you don't need to show me respect. It is I that should show you the respect." Schala said along with a soothing smile.  
"Anyway, what the hell is going on? What's wrong?" Han asked.  
"Well, Vern has you know. He thinks that he can use you as a key to enter the Holy Land."  
"The Holy Land?"  
"Yes," Schala continued "The Holy Land is inside of Furtive Mountain. It is believe to house the Frozen Flame. Only the true Chrono Trigger can open it."  
"I don't get it, why did he call me the Chrono Trigger? What is that?" Han asked. He really believed Schala now, compared to the first time they met. He's been through a whole unbelievable adventure so far, so he's obviously use to strange things, such as the story he was being told.  
"Well… I would not worry about that if I were you. Again, I only know so much. If you are the Chrono Trigger, then you have to escape from Vern before he uses you to open up the door to the Holy Land. Once he gets to the Frozen Flame, it's over." Schala said.  
"Well… that's positive thinking. Anyway, am I the 'Trigger' or not?" Han asked. Schala sighed and went into deep thought.  
"You may be. Your soul is very strong, and I would not be surprised."  
"I don't get it, what's so good about my soul?" Han asked in an annoyed manner.  
"It's filled with compassion and hate. I know, it does sound strange. What it means is your soul is bottled up in strong love and fierce hate, black and white. That explains why you have Gray magic and are able to use Black and White spells. This could mean you are the Chrono Trigger, it's very unique." Schala said. Han looked at the ground with a worried face. He was starting to come out of confusion and face reality. Schala walked up to Han and put her hand on his shoulder.  
"I understand how you feel. But don't be afraid, you are not in this alone. Your friends are helping you out the best way they can, I see it in them every time they fight. Their souls, too, are incredibly strong, filled with love, joy, power, and most of all… courage. I wish I could be of some help, but that's impossible. You and I are so far apart." Schala continued while pacing in front of Han. "Please, do not feel afraid, be brave."  
"I have been, just all of this is so hard to comprehend and believe." Han said.  
"I know, trust me, I know. Now what I also must say is… keep an eye on Carle. Her spirit is starting to make me wonder. Keep her alive, she may possess a power we don't know about."  
"Like what?"  
"I can't tell it's too hard to see."  
Han stood there for a few seconds and was about to ask a question about Carle… but he just withheld. He figured it wouldn't be a very wise question.  
"Well, I don't remember Sullivan giving me the 'Dream Stone' so… how did I get here?" Han asked. Schala pointed to the pendent that was around Han's neck.  
"That pendent does it all now, that's really why I gave it to you. Ok, now it's time for you to wake up. Vern has you in a city called New Aegis, so you're very far away from home indeed." Schala said.  
"So what do I do?" Han said.  
"Your friends are coming; Jade knows that Vern is keeping you in New Aegis. I would not sit tight though; Vern could take you to Furtive Mountain any moment. Try to find a way out."  
"Ok, I'll do what I must." Han said with much confidence.  
"Ok, this will not be the last time we see each other. When ever you need help, just pray hard with the pendent and I shall bring you forward. If anyone else wants to join you in coming here, have them pray with you. That is all. God luck, Han! Stay alive!" Schala said, as the whole setting began to blacken and Han was no longer in the Bend of Time.  
  
Han woke up in a strange room. There was a metal floor with three metallic walls and a ceiling. A prison like fence was in the front. It was an ok size room. It was not that small or dirty at all, just a little cold. It was well lit and a strange lab seemed to be nearby. There was one long window on the left side of the cell that was not able to be seen through, only someone else on the other side could see through it. Other than that, the room was pretty big and seemed it could hold about 15 people crammed into it.  
Han sat up from a small bed, the only thing in the room. He rubbed his eyes and stretched. He noticed that he had nothing but pants and underwear on. His bandana was still wrapped around his head, and strangely, the pendant that Schala gave him was still around his neck along with Carle's ring. Funny he began to think They take everything off me but this pendant. Doesn't this mean something? He shrugged and got up onto his bare feet. It was cold and strange. He looked into the reflection of the glass that was on the wall and looked at him self. Damn, I've really gotten some muscle after this whole nightmare. He thought as he examined himself. He had really changed sense the beginning of this whole adventure. He was stronger physically and mentally.   
"Damnnit, go in there again and try and get that pendant off of him! I NEED IT NOW!" A voice screamed at another. It sounded like Vern's.  
"Y-y-y-y-yes sir!" A man said. The man with two other reptile soldiers unlocked Han's cell. They were armed and seemed to be dangerous. They all came into the cell and two of the soldiers grabbed Han, each by the shoulders. The man, who was wearing a lab coat, put a rubber glove onto his right hand and reached forward. Han tried to break free, but was held firmly by the soldiers. The man continued reaching for the Pendant carefully when a shock went flying out of it.   
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!" The man screamed in agony. A blue lightning bolt was flying out of the pendant and seemed to be protecting Han. The man fell to the ground and panted.  
"Damnnit!" He screamed on the top of his lungs. He then got up and walked out of the cell. His hand was grabbing his left wrist and he walked away in a pissed-off manor. The other two guards slammed Han with the backs of their guns and walked out of the cell, locking it as they left. KriHans laid there on the ground for about a minute, trying to get his breath back. When he finally got back up, he heard a conversation between two people.  
"I-I-I can't get the…"  
"DAMN YOU! What a worthless fool you are!"  
Han ran forward to the door of the cell and tried to look through, but couldn't. Instead, he saw a shadow on a wall of a figure in a long cape and the same man in the lab coat.  
"I-I-I dunno what is wrong with it! It's like the pendent is protecting him!" The man in the coat said with a gesture.  
"Nonsense! How dare you think that!" Vern said with a flap of his cape. His shadow walked closer and closer to the man in the coat.   
"Now… how am I supposed to get anywhere if I don't have the pendent?" Vern said in a calm, quiet voice. "We have that boy… who seems to be the Chrono Trigger. If we can't get the pendent off of him then this whole plan is useless. Now… how can I become FATE and continue to drain the power from this planet if I don't have the pendent?"  
"What the hell is so important about this damn pendent you keep bitching about?! Why…" The lab man said with a booming voice. Vern immediately picked him up by his throat and threw him at the wall. The man slammed hard against it and lay on the ground, still conscious. He quickly tried to get back up when he notice his glasses were broken.   
"How dare you defy the Great Mighty Vern! How stupid are you? The pendent is the only way I can enter the Bend of Time and capture Schala's soul. If I have her, then our problems will be flawless. The new Mighty Lavos will be unstoppable and my path to the frozen flame will be easy as pie. No one can stop me, not even a punk like that kid in the cell." Vern said as he calmed down a bit. He turned to walk up to Han's cell, but was interrupted by a voice on the load speaker.  
"Master Vern, your assistance is need at Sector L. Repeat, Master Vern; you are needed at Sector L." The voice said, coming from a loud speaker not to far away.  
"Damnnit. Aw well, its not like this punk is going anywhere. Get the damn pendent off of his neck, but don't kill him. That's my job after he opens up The Holy Land." Vern demanded.  
"Y-Y-YES S-S-Sir!" The lab man said. Vern left the room by going onto an elevator. The door closed with him in it and Vern was gone… for now. The lab man shook his head and went onto a computer. The two other guards stood right and left of the elevator door. They stood perfectly still and seemed like toy soldiers. Ok Han thought to himself now what? What the hell am I gunna do now? Now Schala's in trouble! I'm gunna pray to her right now. Han walked over to the corner of the cell and began to pray and tell Schala everything.  
  
"What do you see?"  
"Eh… looks like five soldiers armed with semi-automatics and blades. Don't look easy."  
"Well we have to get in there somehow!"  
"Relax, we will. He's depending on us."  
Rad took the binoculars out of his eyes and rubbed them. Sullivan was drawing out a plan with Jade's help and Carle stood there with worry in her eye. New Aegis was not that far away from where they were standing. It was snowing out as usual. New Aegis was way up north from modern civilization and it was always snowing. There were some pine forests around with animals like foxes, wolves, ravens, and so on. However, New Aegis got most of their resources from these forests, so there were not too many left.   
All four of them lay still on elevated ground about one mile from New Aegis. A fence surrounded the city along with watch towers and spotlights and a few guards every other part. Overall, the city seemed to be pretty well guarded. It seemed like no one was getting in or getting out. One thing that was chilling was the fact that the city seemed to have no civilians. The whole area seemed to be one really huge war camp with soldiers and weapons. All of this seemed to be Vern's doing, and it obviously had to be stopped.   
"It's really getting late. The sun is about to set and we've been on the go all day. Let's camp for the night." Sullivan said while taking objects out of his pack.  
"I aint complaining!" Rad said as he rushed over to help Sullivan unpack.  
"But what if they use Han and we don't get there on time?!" Carle screamed.  
"Relax," Sullivan said to Carle in a soothing way "I've known Han for a while now. He can take care of himself for the time being. He's strong enough." Sullivan concluded. Carle just looked strait at Sullivan in absolute disgust.  
"Yeah, don't worry about it. Han will be fine, I'm sure." Rad said in a reassuring way. Carle didn't seem to react to Rad's comment.  
"How dare you say that." Carle said to Sullivan with anger. "Is that what you plan to do? Leave him to fight for himself?!" Sullivan just stared back at Carle in confusion.  
"He needs us! His life depends on us! We can't just sit on our asses sleeping in the snow! Han is sitting somewhere all alone thinking of us. We can't let him down. You KNOW he would come through for you people, even if it meant risking his life." Carle said with pride.   
"I understand, but none of us are Han." Sullivan said as he went to set up a tent. Carle stood there with no expression. Jade went to comfort her, but Carle just ran away in misery.   
"CARLE! WAIT!" Rad screamed as he dropped firewood and ran after Carle.   
"I'LL SAVE HIM MYSELF!!!" She screamed on the top of her lungs. Her voice echoed in the snowy mountains and the sound of her feet pounding against the snow made the ground tremble. Rad and Jade ran after Carle… but Sullivan hesitated. What did I say? He thought. He shook off the thought and ran after her.  
She ran as fast as she could down the slop of the snowy hill. A forest was coming up into view and she wasn't stopping at all. She panted and panted until she began to slow down. She finally fell onto her knees and cried her heart out. Jade stopped running and walked slowly over to Carle. Rad and Sullivan also stopped and stared. Carle cried until she was simply too tired to cry anymore. Jade signaled for Rad and Sullivan to leave, and so they did. They walked back to their campsite to set up a fire and give Carle a little bit of time to herself.  
"Are you ok?" Jade asked Carle while putting an arm around her shoulder.   
"I dunno." She said with a small sob. She began to tear more and Jade put Carle's head to her shoulder.   
"Shhhhh, you'll be ok."  
"It's not me who I'm worried about."   
"Well… Han will be just fine. I'm sure of it. Don't worry, Sullivan didn't mean what he said."  
"Then why aren't we off saving Han right now?!" Carle shot back.  
"Listen, we are all very tired. We have traveled many miles in these past two days after Han was taken. We need a break, that's all." Jade said in a soothing way. Jade seemed to have this gift of understanding and making people feel better. Just look at what she's been through…  
"I'm not just mad at that. It's just… Han. How do I know if I'm ever going to see him again? How do I know if he's even alive right now?" Carle said.  
"He has to live, Vern needs him. If Han dies, then Vern can't get to the Frozen Flame, it's that simple." Jade said to Carle. Jade sighed and went on. "Look, if he doesn't make it or we don't save him, the world as we know it will be gone. He will come through, I know it. Han is a fine boy and he knows what he's doing, I'm sure of it. Just like you, Rad, and Sullivan. You all have your own unique qualities that make you… you." Jade paused to see how Carle reacted to it. Carle seemed to understand it all.  
"I just want Han in my life again, that's all."  
"So do I… Carle. So do I…" Jade said as she gazed into the artic night sky.  
"Look at that, the moon is out." Jade said.  
"Yeah, it sure looks pretty."  
"Wolfus and I use to stare at it every night together." Jade paused to giggle in happiness. "All those nights we spent together, all the fun we had…" She stopped giggling. "To think that all of it ended so quickly. I remember telling Wolfus if he was ever worried while he was away at war to look up into at the moon… and think of me… and I would be looking too. I swear that every time I looked up at the moon while he was away, I felt him. I knew in my heart that he too was looking at that same time. The two of us, so far apart, yet gazing at the same thing. I'll never forget that feeling, that warm… sweet… comforting feeling. That feeling was… love." Jade said in a sad manner. Carle looked up at the moon with Jade. She squinted and gazed at its beauty.   
"When you look at it, do you still get that feeling, Jade?" Carle asked.  
"For some odd reason…" Jade said with a very long pause. "yes."   
"Then maybe Wolfus is still alive."  
"It's possible."  
"Hey Jade?"  
"Yes?"  
"Can I call you… Jackie for now on?"  
"Jackie? Heh, sure! It's been a while since someone has called me that." Jade said with a smile. They both stopped talking for a bit and gazed into the moon.  
"Do you think Han is looking at the moon too?" Carle asked.  
"Well… what do you think?" Jade asked. Carle stood staring at the moon with no expression.   
"Yes. I think he is." Carle said in a sure voice.  
"Oh really? You feel it, huh?"   
"Yeah, I feel like he's sitting right next to me. Could this feeling… be…"  
"HEEEEEEEEEEELP!!!" A voice screamed from the camp, interrupting Carle.  
"That sounded like Rad!" Jade screamed as she hopped up onto her feet and pulled out her sword.   
"HEEEEEEEEEEELP!!!" Rad's voice hollered again. Carle got onto her feet and pulled out her dagger.  
"Let's go." Jade said as she began to dash toward the camp. Carle ran with her up the snowy hill.  
"GAAAAAAHAHAHAHAAAAAA!!! You think you can beat me?! HAHAHAHAAAAA!" A voice said aloud. Jade and Carle were getting closer and the voice was getting louder. Who could it be?  
"Bullshit! We'll take you on you fat green fool!" Rad screamed.  
Carle and Jade were in view. Jade could see the enemy, but not enough to tell who it was. The harsh snowy winds made it hard to see the whole figure.  
"OH! Look what we have here! It's been a while since I've seen YOU, JACKIE!" The man said. Jade stopped running right next to Sullivan and Rad and could clearly see who it was. "Or should I say… JADE! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!" The man said with laughter.   
"Ozzie." Jade said with hate in her eyes.  
"Yes, it is I! The one and only, OZZIE!" Ozzie said with his arms up in the air. His white robe-like clothing flapped with the snowy winds and his green skin stood out in the night sky.   
"You may have defeated Slash and Flea, but you will not go through me! HA! I made a rhyme!" Ozzie said with a chuckle.  
"Um… what a bad joke." Sullivan said with confusion.   
"What do you want Ozzie?!" Jade said with her teeth showing. Her sword was pointed right in his direction.   
"ME? Oh boy, I want a lot of things. I want to be Vern's master assistant! I can do that by killing you people!" said Ozzie.  
"That isn't gunna happen!" Carle screamed.  
"Sure it is. I've already killed this bitch's father! HAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!" said Ozzie.  
"Not to mention Wolfus and countless others." Jade said with anger.  
"Wolfus? Oh, no no no no, I didn't kill him. Who knows where he is, I threw him into a portal. Who knows or cares where he is!" said Ozzie.  
They all stood there with their weapons in hand. The wind began to pick up and the night grew darker.  
"All I need to do is report to Vern that a team of worthless teens are on the way to save the Chrono Trigger. Then your plans are worthless!" said Ozzie. "What a stupid kid that is. I wouldn't be surprised if he's dead right now! HAHAHAHAAAA!" Ozzie said with laughter. He laughed and laughed until he felt a blade slash his face. "OW! WHAT THE HELL?!"  
Carle slashed him all right, and it was a good hit too. Ozzie's face began to dip with blood. He stood there with surprise and agony. Carle, on the other hand, stood with pure hatred in her eyes and pain in her heart. Ozzie went to punch Carle, but Carle just dodged quickly, making Ozzie fall face down into the snow.  
"Um… are we going to battle this guy? He doesn't seem like much of a challenge…" Sullivan said in a very confused voice. Ozzie got right back up and pull out his sword and ran at Sullivan. Sullivan tackled Ozzie and kicked him in the face. Ozzie simply got back up.  
"GAH! It's no use! I'm nothing without Flea and Slash!" Ozzie pouted. Jade just pushed Ozzie head first into the snow and put her blade up against his throat.  
"Give me a good reason why I shouldn't kill you." Jade said with a scary voice. Ozzie tried to brake free from Jade's grasp, but it was no use. Finally, he gave up.  
"I'LL DO ANYTHING! PLEASE! DON'T KILL ME!" He screamed like a little kid. They all glanced at each other with smiles on their faces as if they where to burst into laughter.   
"Anything…?" Sullivan said with a grid that reached ear to ear.  
"YES! PLEASE!" Ozzie said helplessly.  
"Fine, you are going to help us get into new Aegis and save Han." Jade said with force. Ozzie didn't reply, only moaned in agony.  
"Man, I thought this guy was going to actually put up a fight." Rad said with a laugh.  
"So I grew old over the years, BIG DEAL! Wait until I get Slash and Flea back, then you'll have trouble!!!" Ozzie said with anger.  
"Ok, tie him to that tree. Jade, you watch him and make sure he doesn't move. If he does, you know what to do." Sullivan said to Jade. Jade acknowledged Sullivan and tied Ozzie up onto a tree. The rest went to their tents and slept for the night, with the campfire still burning. Jade stayed awake to guard Ozzie, and she didn't fall asleep once. Ozzie was asleep with snot running down his nose and snoring so loud it made the snowy hills shake. Carle, on the other hand, did not sleep at all. She walked out of her tent and went to the summit of the hill with trees and bushes. She sat there, looking at the moon and the city of New Aegis. She kept getting that feeling that Jade was explaining and she enjoyed every second of it. She kept having flashbacks of Han and the time that he saved her life on the ship. Not once did she fall asleep that whole night, just sat in the trees of the summit, gazing at the moon.  
  
"Hurry up make this place look decent! Vern will be here any minute!" said a guard next to Han's cell. Han was up all night gazing at the moon that just barley showed through a window across from the cell. He sat in the corner, eyeing the ring that Carle gave him. He put it on and felt a little better. The room was growing colder by the minute, and the sounds of the soldiers in the other room kept him awake. He had just contacted Schala a little while ago, and she was informed of Vern's plan. Schala explained that it is impossible for Vern to enter the Bend of Time unless he had the pendent. The pendent would stay on Han unless he dies, so it wasn't coming off anytime soon.  
A few minutes later, Han heard Vern walk into the room.   
"It is time." Vern said to the people in the room. "Give the kid some clothing and chain him, I want him unharmed. Meet me outside in ten minutes, and NOT A SECOND LATER." Vern said with harshness. He walked out of the room and soldiers began running all over the place, getting ready for Vern.   
"Get this on, kid. NOW!" A guard screamed at Han, throwing him nasty looking clothing. It was a weird Eskimo-like jacket and a pair of nice looking boots. Still, it was nothing compared to his usual open blue shirt. Luckily, he still had his own pants and his bandana.   
When he finished getting his cloths on, two guards came in and put his arms in handcuffs attached to a chain that someone would use as a leash. They quickly pulled Han outside. Vern stood there with about seven other soldiers.  
"Looks like I'm getting to the Frozen Flame after all! HAHAHA! Fool, did you actually think you were better than me?!" Vern shouted at Han. He walked up to Han with anger. His boots hit against the concrete ground made the ground shake.  
"DID YOU?!" He screamed at Han, spitting in his face. Han didn't move at all, just kept a blank expression.   
"Give me an answer!" Vern screamed at him. The air grew silent for a second. Then, Han did the bravest thing. He turned his head, and spat right in Vern's face. Vern stood perfectly still for a second, then punched Han right in the face, knocking him down. He pulled Han back up with force. Han's mouth was bleeding, but he was smiling. His eyes said the word 'bravery'.  
"How dare you!" Vern screamed. The soldiers stood, staring in shock at what Han had just pulled off.  
"I'm a dead man anyway, your not going to get anywhere." said Han. Vern wiped the spit off his face and said, "We shall see soon enough." He then punched Han in the stomach and ordered the convoy to march forward.   
  
The journey was long, but not an exodus. It was about a two hour walk until they finally stopped in front of a mountain with a huge stone door at the front and a long flight of stone stairs. The snow made the gateway hard to see, and the night sky didn't help much either. The only sounds were the howls of the wind, the caw of a hawk, and the howl of a nearby wolf. The soldier's boots crunched in the snow while Han was being dragged by two soldiers. When they stopped, Vern began to walk up the stone stairs and stopped. He turned around to address the soldiers.  
"The walk is over; we are finally at Furtive Mountain!" Vern said as he threw his arms up in the air. The soldiers cheered and chanted in joy. Vern continued to speak. "Our primary mission will be achieved if we open this door. This door leads to the one and only Frozen Flame! Once I wish to be FATE and Lavos is complete, we can all rule this world and bring chaos to those in our way!" said Vern with a nasty smile. The soldiers all cheered louder, but grew silent after Vern put out his hand to hush them.  
"Bring the boy forward." He ordered. A soldier pushed Han forward. All the soldiers stared at Han, as if he was the most important thing alive. Han was forced to walk and kneel in front of Vern. His chains were removed and his hands were free. As he knelt down, he felt a boot kick him in the chin which made him fall back.  
"Try anything funny and I will not hesitate to kill you." Vern said to him, grabbing him by the neck. Han showed no pain whatsoever. It was as if he were ready to accept his death. Vern pointed his sickle at Han's back and ordered him to walk forward. As Han did so, he began to think. Ok, I need to think of something, FAST. I can't pray to Schala right now and I can't just run away. Han turned around to see how many soldiers there were, but Vern yelled at him to keep walking up the steps. Ok, I'm outnumbered by eighty. DAMNNIT! I'm screwed. Well, maybe something good will happen. If not, I'm fighting back, I'm dead anyway.   
The walk up the steps seemed forever. Han could hear his pulse more than the sounds of his own footsteps. Finally, he reached the top, and there was a nice view. Still, the mountain seemed to go a couple miles upward to the summit. The stairs didn't go that far at all. At the top of the stairs there stood the huge double door. Right in front of it laid a seal of some sort. The language was something Han couldn't read. He did notice a symbol of two short brown bald men with pointy ears. One had green-white clothing; the other had purple-white clothing. One of them said Masa under it, and the other said Mune. In the center of them were a wolf and a sword. A strange border circled it.  
"Go on, walk onto it. Open the door to the Frozen Flame!" Vern screamed. Han turned around with bravery.  
"No." he said clearly. Vern stared back at him with anger.  
"What… did… you… say?!" he snapped back.  
"I said 'No' and I didn't stutter either." Han said wisely. "I'm not going to let you destroy the world, Vern."   
"How dare you! Walk onto the seal, NOW!" Vern yelled. Han just stared back at him. Then Han heard a voice that sounded like Schala. Han… do… not… worry. It… is… ok. Trust… me… it said three times. Han felt a wave of comfort go over him from nowhere. It seemed to be Schala, telling Han that it was ok to walk up to the seal and open the door to the Holy Land. Why the hell does she want me to do that? Without anymore thought, Han began to walk up to the seal.   
"Do it now or die!" Vern said with five soldiers pointing their guns at him. Han took a deep breath and walked onto the seal. A harsh wind picked up and everyone was silent. Han shut his eyes and put his head down. Vern smiled in joy and the soldiers staid on guard to make sure Han was doing his job.   
The wind grew louder and a minute went by. Han opened his eyes to find the seal not reacting to him and the door not opening. Vern looked surprised and his face showed anguish.  
"What does this mean?" one of the guards grunted. Han looked back at Vern in confusion.  
Vern stared at Han with hate.  
"He's… not… the Chrono Trigger..." Vern said with anger. Han looked shocked and grabbed the pendent, hoping for a miracle.   
"TAKE HIM BACK TO THE CELL NOW AND ORDER AN EXACUTION! I WANT TO WATCH HIM DIE! FIND ME THE REAL CHRONO TRIGGER!" Vern screamed out loud. It was so loud; snow began to fall from the mountain. No one had ever heard Vern scream this loud.  
Sure enough, the convoy began to move. Vern knocked Han out cold and ordered two soldiers to bring him back to the cell. Vern was very pissed off. Great. Marched out here for hours all for nothing. I'm gunna kill this kid just to take my frustration out Vern thought to himself as he began to march forward with the group. If Han wasn't the Chrono Trigger… then who was? 


	13. Mighty Lavos

Chapter Twelve: Mighty Lavos  
  
"Aw shit." A guard at the main gate said, looking at the floor.  
"What's wrong?"  
"I spilt my damn coffee all over the ground." The guard said, picking up his mess. The other guard smiled and laughed.  
"It's not the first time you did that."  
"Shut up! I'm in no mood for this shit. Why the hell did they put me on watch when everyone knows that no one's getting in here in the first place?!" The guards face showed frustration and stress.  
"I feel the same, but Vern's orders are Vern's orders and there is NOTHING we can do about it."  
The guard finished cleaning up him mess and sat back down in his watch chair. The building was very small and it was next to a few high watch towers. The inside had nasty yellow walls and cracks in the ceiling. There were about 3 computers and one long window in the front that out looked the snowy lands.  
"Did Vern come back yet with that punk?" the stressed guard asked.  
"I'm not sure yet. Rumor has it that the kid is the Chrono Trigger."  
"Heh, what bullshit. Wasn't that some fairytale our mothers told us about as a bedtime story?" The guard said, cleaning the coffee stains off his uniform.  
"Yeah, that's what I thought it was. We don't even have any proof of the whole thing happening in the first place. I mean, time travel, dimensional travel, its all a bunch of false shit."  
"Well, not everyone at Leene city thinks that."  
"Well duh! That's where that Crono guy supposedly came from."  
The two grew silent for a little while.  
"Why the hell are we even here? I mean, we know what Vern is after isn't real!" The guard said with coffee stains still on his coat.  
"Hey, you live in New Aegis, you fight for New Aegis. That's just the way it is."  
"But this is futile! We are fighting for something that's not real!"  
"Then how do you explain Lavos?"  
The 'coffee' guard went into deep thought. The other went on.  
"I know. The 'Frozen Flame' and all that seem pretty fake. Think. Vern tried to convince this city that it was possible to create another Lavos, but no one believed him. All he did was get the best damn scientist on the globe, who also didn't believe him, and create a massive beast of destruction. He proved us all wrong, and he may do it again. Just give him time, he's a smart person." The guard said, gazing out the window.  
The both hushed-up for a bit, letting time pass by. Finally, about five minutes passed, and one of the guards saw something.  
"Get me the binoculars, NOW!" said the guard. He was handed a black pair that seemed very expensive.  
He zoomed in to find a rather large figure fallowed by four others.  
"Tell the others we have a few suspicious characters coming our way and to remain at their post on full alert."  
"Yes sir." A guard said, running outside with a megaphone.   
The soldiers scattered allover the place, climbing up watchtowers, loading their guns, getting the spotlight ready, and so on.  
The night would soon be over, and the wind was still blowing harshly with snow. It was bitter cold.  
The figures were getting closer to the main gate. The soldiers waited.  
  
His talking device beeped.   
"Yeah?" He said into it.  
"Yeah, Bob, we got five suspicious characters heading are way. What should we do?" asked one of the soldiers in charge of the main gate.  
"Sit tight and wait for them to reach you. If they pullout anything, shoot them, is it that hard?" Bob said.  
"But what if…"  
"Just do it. I'll stay on, so keep me informed of what's going on. Just point a weapon at them and ask who they are." Bob said, sitting down in his watch seat. He was in charge of the New Aegis Army, and he was good at it as well. Having the skills and techniques, he proves to be a worthy investment for Vern.  
Bob took his ski mask of for a minute to find out why it was irritating him. He hadn't slept all day, and who would if your in the same room of where the new Lavos was being created. He put the ski mask back on and put his legs up on another chair, pissing off the scientists doing research in the room.  
"Got anything yet?" He said into the talking device.  
"Yes, the figures are about twenty… maybe thirty feet away. We are sending out a few guards to question them."  
  
"Good, let me know if anything happens."  
"Of course." The guard said to Bob, putting the device at his side.  
The guard watched from his position to see the figures come to a stop. It appeared that four of them where dressed in robes with hoods over their faces. The other was large in size and appeared to be Ozzie.  
"General Ozzie! Where have you been? We sent out three search parties for you, and none of them have returned. And who the hell are those people with you?" The guard screamed at them with a megaphone. A few other soldiers rushed down to them.  
"I-I-I-I'M OK!" screamed Ozzie in a nervous voice.  
"Are you sure? You seem a little shaken up." Said one of the guards standing in front of him.  
"Who are these people?" a guard asked.  
"Identify yourselves!" A guard hollered at the four people in the robes. A bunch of soldiers surrounded them in a matter of seconds, pointing their guns directly at them.  
"W-W-W-W-WAIT! Their…. Um…. Monks! Y-Y-Y-YEAH! T-t-t-t-their monks! Their here under Vern's request for the Frozen Flame." Ozzie said with stupidity. One of the monks smacked their heads.  
"What do you mean? Vern never notified us of this." A guard said.  
"Have ya found anything out yet?" Bob's voice on the transmitter said. A guard picked up the transmitter.  
"Yes sir, we have them surrounded and are questioning them. It turns out that Ozzie is with 'em." The guard said.  
"WHAT?! We sent out…. how many search parties?!"   
"That's not all. He's here with four monks who are supposedly sent for by Vern for help on the Frozen Flame."  
"I was never notified of this. Place them under arrest and bring em in here! I want answers!" Bob's voice said with anger.  
"Yes sir." The guard said, putting the transmitter at his side.  
"We have been ordered to put all four of you under arrest! We ask you to remain calm until we receive new orders! We suggest you keep your mouths shut! Now stand still!" The guard ordered harshly.  
"PLEASE DON'T HURT ME! THEY KILLED ALL THE SEARCH PARTIES! THEY WHERE GOING TO USE ME TO GET INTO THE CITY AND SAVE THAT PUNK! DON'T KILL ME, DON'T KILL ME!" Ozzie screamed, running behind a search tower. Many of the guards didn't understand a word he said, and stared in confusion.  
"You're coming with us!" screamed one of the guards at the monks.  
"I don't think that's possible." said one of the monks. The monk's voice sounded feminine and harsh.  
The guard walked up to her with a look of total shock and abhorrence.  
"How dare you offend my rank!!! Your coming with us!!!" screamed the guard.  
"I said, I don't think that's possible." said the monk.  
"Why is that?" said the guard.  
Within a second, the monk pulled out a sword and slit the guard's throat. Blood sprayed in the air and the guard fell to the ground, lifeless. Crimson stained the snowy ground.  
"That's why." said the monk.  
"ATTACK THEM!" screamed one of the guards.  
"What the hells going on down there! Answer me, NOW!" Bob's voice said on the dead soldier's transmitter. Finally, the transmitter went dead and Bob had no communication with the main gate.  
"NOW!" screamed one of the monks, throwing off his robe. The others did the same.  
Ozzie, on the other hand, stood ducking down I fear behind a tower. All that was heard were the sounds of gunshots and screams. Blades clanged and shots where fired. Fireballs flew all over the place and ice shattered the soldiers. Poison filled the air and all hell broke loose. Then, the voice of a single soldier screamed.  
"Freeze you mutant fox! I'll cut you down to size and … UH-GAH! AAAAAAHHHH!!!!" The soldier said. Finally, his voice was silenced when the sound of a sword slit flesh in half. Then… there was silence. Ozzie came out of hiding to find all of the soldiers dead in the snow. Blood stained the snow, seeming to literally be a bloodbath. One soldier's head was chopped off, one was burned to ashes, and others were just… obliterated. Body parts lay all over. Finally, Ozzie went to look around for the monks. Then… the sound of the transmitter caught his attention. The monks where no where in sight, and the air was totally silent. Ozzie hesitated, and then walked forward to a guard with coffee stains on his coat and the transmitter ringing at his side. He went to reach down and get it, but he was stopped.  
"Freeze." said a voice. Ozzie felt a crossbow being shoved into his back. He put his arms up. He was quickly handcuffed and thrown to the ground, knocked out cold.  
"Should I get it?" one of them said.  
"Well, duh! I would!"  
"Shut up! I didn't ask you!"  
The transmitter was picked up.  
"What the hell is going on down there?!" Bob's voice said.  
"Don't worry, everything is under control. We had to kill the four and handcuff Ozzie. Please do not send support, we are under control."  
The transmitter was shut off and thrown to the ground.  
"Nice Sullivan! REALLY creative! Even I could have said that!" Rad screamed at Sullivan.  
"Well, I wasn't the one who made use dress up in ROBES and pretend to be 'invisible'." Sullivan screamed back.  
"Guys, SHUT UP! Let's just get in there and free Han." Carle screamed.  
Jade began to hide the bodies, but Sullivan commented.  
"Don't bother; the blood in the snow is going to give it all away."  
"I know, but we could just say it's the 'monk's' blood." Jade said, continuing her work.  
"Ok, now… we need to get into the city and save Han. Let's dress up as guards." Carle said.  
"Yeah, you read my mind Carle. Let's go."  
"Eeeeewwww…. This guard pissed his pants… I aint wearing this!" Rad said with humor. Carle chuckled.  
They all got set and invaded the city.  
  
Han's eyes opened up. He couldn't tell if it was a dream or reality. Everything around him was so blurry, he couldn't see a thing. All he heard was his own faint pulse and the noise of some kind of computer.   
"He's awake." said a reptile guard to Vern.  
"Good, now I'll let him have it." Vern said with ironic calmness.  
Han's vision began to clear a little bit more, and he could realize that he was in the same cell as before. Vern came into the room and stared down at Han. The both stared blackly at each other for a minute which seemed endless, and it ended with Vern kicking Han right in the face. Han fell and spit blood. He also noticed he was chained and there was nowhere to run.  
"You must like getting hit… don't you?" Vern said with a smirk to Han, cleaning off his boot. Han didn't say a word, just stared at the ground.  
"Are you pissed at me because I'm not the Chrono Trigger?" Han finally asked.   
Vern hesitated and thought to himself.  
"I no longer have much use of you. Remember that. The only thing your good for is luring your friends into here as bait. I'm more than sure that will make me closer to the Chrono Trigger." Vern said. He then began to walk out of the cell… but stopped… and turned around. He walked slowly up to Han and bent down on his knees, close to Han.  
"Long ago," Vern began to explain "there was a war. A war that battled between good and evil. The two sides fought over the right to rule the world, and one side won. My ancestors fought in this war, as well as yours. My people had suffered and died while yours ruled the world ignorantly. My ancestors suffered, and I shall avenge them."   
"You're saying you're related to Azala?!" Han asked with a curious look.  
Vern turned around, and then giggled. He putout his cape and turned around.  
"Yes…" he said in an evil voice "Yes… I am related to Azala! And I will avenge the Reptile's defeat! You pathetic humans have taken the land from us, which was rightfully ours! We were here before you!" Vern screamed and spat. He then got up in Han's face.  
"We WILL take what is ours back, no matter the cost. Creating a new Lavos to drain the power from this planet and becoming FATE to make the dinos rule the world again will help me in my mission. You humans breeze through life, trying to enjoy something you had no control over until twenty years ago. You are born, razed, breed, and then die, for NOTHING! It is an endless cycle that just goes on and on. My job is to break that cycle and return the world to its rightful owners, The Reptiles!" Vern explained.  
"Hell no! You reptiles where destroyed before the first Lavos hit this planet!" Han said.  
"HA! All of us?! I'm afraid not! Look around you, reptile guards all over the place, serving ME. You and the rest of you humans will all die!" Vern said.  
"Then what about the human guards who are serving you? What are you going to do with them?" Han asked.  
Vern hesitated before he said anything.  
"When they help me reach my goal, I will have no use for them." said Vern with a nasty smile. He then got up onto his feet and began to walk out.  
"You will die later on. I will enjoy watching your death. Try to escape and you will see what happens." Vern said. The door closed behind him and all the soldiers walked out but two, who where guarding the cell.  
Great, now what? Han thought. He noticed the pendent was still around his neck, and he felt a wave of relief come over him.   
He laid there for a good hour or so, when he began to fall asleep. He tried a few time to get out of his chains, but no success. Then… out of no where, his chains came loose.  
What the hell? No one can open these things without activating it by the computer! What the hells going on?! He thought.  
Han got up and stretched for a second, then saw one of the guards staring at him.  
"Guys! Call the boss, he's loose!" one of the reptile guards screamed. He went to reach for his gun when a green blur ran in from of him and somehow stabbing him in the chest. Han ran to the doorway of the cell and watched the guard slowly fall to the ground. Then, the cell door opened.   
Han waited for something else to happen, but then he heard footsteps coming closer to him. He quickly got back into his cell and saw nowhere to hide. He cracked his knuckles and got ready to knockout whoever was coming. The steps got louder and louder, making Han more and more nervous. He then got adrenalin rush and run out of the cell to attack anyone who was coming.   
"HAN!"  
Han froze to see Carle running to him. His mind went off attack mode and he could swear that an angel hade come out of the heavens and blessed him.  
"Carle…?!" Han said with shock and joy.  
Carle leaped into Han's arms, making him fall backward. He had weakened by shock. Carle held Han tight and strong. Han hugged her back, seeing Sullivan, Jade, and Rad standing behind Carle.   
"I knew you'd be alive!" Carle said with her face buried in Han's chest. Her voice was slightly muffled, but Han knew she was crying.  
Jade, Rad, and Sullivan left them alone for a minute or two.  
"Ok, so where in here… now what?" Rad asked.  
"Well… we now know where Lavos is. My suggestion is that we destroy it while we are here." Sullivan said.  
"I wonder how we go abut that…" Jade said, thinking hard.  
They all put there heads together.  
"I've got it!" Rad said, snapping his fingers. "Let's rig this place with C4 and blow it off the map!"  
Sullivan stared back at Rad.  
"Rad… you know… that just might work! I almost had the same idea. Thing is… where are we getting the C4?" Sullivan said to Rad.  
"I remember seeing a supply cargo a few floors back. Maybe we should go back there and see if they have it." Jade said.  
"Good, problem is, we have to take Vern out to. It's not going to be easy." Sullivan said with a stressful look.  
"Wait… if we blow this place to hell… what about the forests that surround it?" Rad asked.  
"Don't worry, the C4 will only destroy the city. We just need enough to do the job and place them in the right place." Sullivan said, still stressed.  
"We just need someone who knows this place well." Jade said.  
"I guess that someone would be me." Han said with a smile on his face and Carle on his back. Everyone stared at Han and began to plan the attack to bring Lavos and Vern down.  
  
"Hurry up man! We don't have all day!" Rad screamed at Han, who was in the bathroom, changing.  
"Ok." Han replied.  
The door opened, and Han was dressed back to normal. He got his lance back and he seemed more ready than ever.   
"Let's go." he said, walking t the exit.  
They sneak by many guards and killed a few, heading towards the supply cargo. The team was one again and ready to kick some serious ass.   
  
Vern walked to the cell room with four reptile soldiers. They all walked in the lines behind him, marching evenly with fierce looks. The door opened automatically before Vern, and to his surprise he found two f the guards dead. He walked quickly to the cell to find no sign of Han. His face remained calm, but his insides felt like they would explode.  
"Sound the alarm and tell everyone to keep and eye out for Mr. Han. Assemble a massive search party, and search every damn inch of this city!" Vern ordered.   
"Yes sir!" the soldiers said, running to the main sector.   
"Damn him…" Vern said.  
  
"Alert, Alert. Prisoner has escaped. Man stations and report any difficulties. Stay on full alert." A loud speaker said. Red sirens when off and the constant blare of the sirens filled the air. Soldiers ran all over with weapons in hand.  
"AW SHIT!" Han screamed.  
"Here they come! We better get running now!" Rad screamed. All of them began to run with their weapons in their arms.   
"Wait! The cargo is right here!" Jade screamed at them. They all ran with Jade to a big room.   
"We need a keycard!" Carle said, slamming a lock structure.  
"Don't worry! Leave it to me!" Sullivan said, reaching into his bag and pulling out a weird wire device.  
"Guard me while I bust this baby open." Sullivan said.  
Han and Jade ran together. Carle and Rad guarded Sullivan as he struggled to get the door open. He pounded buttons on the device and cursed.  
"HERE THEY COME!" Han screamed at Sullivan.  
"Damnnit! Hang on! Give me a minute or two!" Sullivan yelled back.  
"That's a minute we don't have!" Rad screamed.  
Within seconds, a whole bunch of soldiers where running after the team. Han and Jade teamed up to fight them off.  
"KILL THEM!!!!!!!!" A soldier screamed, shooting his gun franticly. Jade dodged a few bullets and reflected a few back with he sword. Han did a kick off the wall and a trail of bullets fallowed him. He kicked a soldier to the wall and lanced one in the stomach.  
Jade chopped two soldiers' heads off at once, but was slashed in the left arm. She retaliated with a back flip, but hit nothing with air. Three soldiers teamed up on her, but one was fried with Carle's fireball.  
"Carle! Don't worry about me! Defend Sullivan!" Jade screamed at Carle. Jade was kicked against a wall. Han ran forward and punched one in the face. He did a roundhouse kick, but was tossed back next to Jade.  
"How are they doing?" Sullivan asked Rad, not looking up and eyeing the device.  
"Not so good, just put some speed into it!" Rad replied.  
"I'm almost there!" Sullivan said back.  
Han and Jade teamed for an X-slash and killed four soldiers. Han lanced an enemy in the throat and whacked him in the face with the back of the lance. Jade kicked a soldier in the stomach and stabbed him in the back.  
"GOT IT! GUYS! HURRY!" Sullivan said, running into the cargo.  
"Hurry up!" Carle shouted back, running into the cargo with Rad. Jade finished off a few soldiers and ran with the rest. The door began to close after Jade got in.  
"HAN! GET IN HERE NOW!" Jade screamed.  
Han was surrounded by three soldiers, each seeming to want pure blood. One took a swing at him, but missed and fell forward. Han ran to the cargo door before it would close, but he felt something grab his leg and he fell forward. He looked back to see one of the soldiers on his stomach grabbing Han. Han looked forward at the door as it slowly began to close. He held his lance with two hands and whacked the soldier in the face, knocking him out cold. Han scampered up on his feet and ran after the door.  
"HURRY!"   
Han ran as hard as he could. The door was just about to close when Han leaped forward with his arm out. His hand went in-between the door, his ring that Carle gave him holding it open. The soldiers where running after him quickly with rage. Han struggled to keep the door open and get it open. He pushed and pulled, hoping for a miracle when the door suddenly opened and he fell in. The door closed right before the soldiers could reach him, saving his life.  
"Phew…" Han said, laying on his back in relief.  
"Are you ok?" Jade asked.  
Han nodded and looked at Carle's ring. It was all bent out of shape and had a huge dent in the side. Luckily, he could still ware it.   
"Come on; let's catch up with the others." Jade said, helping Han to his feet.  
The room was not very well lit and the walls where a darkish blue metallic walls. The room was small and led to another door. Jade and Han walked through it together. Sullivan was inspecting the C4 while Rad was handling it into a bag with a strap. Carle was standing on the side, nervous. The room was big and held many types of guns and ammunition. Shelves where everywhere and filled to the limit with weapons. Bullets and blades polluted the floor.   
"Are you ok Han?" Carle questioned, running into Han's arms.  
"Yeah, I'm fine." Han said, not telling her about the ring.  
"How about you, Jackie?" Carle asked.  
"Don't worry, I'm fine. Are you guys ok?" Jade asked the rest. Everyone nodded and continued working.  
"Ok… what now?" Han asked.  
"Well, we now have all the C4. Now, we need to plant it at various parts of the city." Sullivan said, inspecting the last C4 package.  
"That's gunna be pretty hard." Han commented.  
"Yes, it will." Jade began to speak. "But the city is not as big as it appears. There are no restaurants or hotels; it's just a huge indoor military city. We just have to work together and not try anything stupid. Remember, we can't let Lavos and Vern get away."  
"True, but what if we fail?" Rad asked honestly.  
"We can't fail, it's not an option." Carle commented.  
Sullivan then put a stressed look on his face and began to speak.  
"Han… do you know your way around here?" Sullivan asked Han.  
"To be really honest, I don't know every little part of this city, but I know the big areas like where Lavos is being held." Han said.  
"Would you be able to draw a map?" Sullivan asked courageously.  
Han's eyes blinked in sleepiness and his eyebrows rose.  
"Yeah… I could. But again, I don't know every part." Han said.  
Everyone stared at Han with hope in their eyes.  
"Give me something to draw on." Han asked, brushing his hair back.  
Rad handed him a piece of paper and pen. He began to draw out the main parts with rectangles and squares. He labeled each main room with letters and numbers. It took him about ten minutes to complete.  
"Ok," Han began to speak "This main structure here is where Lavos is. Now, I've passed by it twice when they brought me in and out of here, but I've never been inside. My guess is that it's heavily guarded."  
"What about the door?" Rad asked.  
"Well, there are about two guards there around the clock. It may be hard to get rid of them since there's a camera in place. This is a real scientist hangout, so they are always in and out. I saw that they have to go past this whole security thing. First, the eye test. A laser scans your eye pattern and alarms if it doesn't mach anything in it memory. After than, I'm not sure what else is inside. The laser eye thing is only a theory, again, I've only been by it a few time. Getting in there should be dealt with last." Han explained.  
"Any rooms with chemical reactors?" Sullivan asked.  
"Well… I do remember seeing a sign that pointed to one, although I have no idea what's in there." Han said.  
"We gatta find out what's in there. If it's nuclear power, it will blow this whole side of the planet sky high." Sullivan said.  
"Well… let's not let that happen." Carle stated.  
"What are some other hot spots for the C4?" Jade asked.  
"There are a few others. One other is the disposal room. This is where they throw all there waste and shit. There are a lot of flammable substances in here, so it would make a bigger explosion. I don't think the explosion will make it outside of the city." Han said. He then pointed to another part of the map.  
"I don't know much about this place, but there are a few pillars that are holding up the hanger. It's on the lowest floor and we have to plant C4 on each pillar. Next is the bunker. This place is where the soldiers sleep and pretty much live. I'd say about two C4s should do the job. We gatta watch out for soldiers too. Last is… right here. If we plant one C4 here, it should be enough to ignite the other bombs here, thus making a bigger explosion." Han concluded.  
"Sounds good enough. Ok, we have to assign teams. One will take care of the hanger and the chemical room. First, we have to find out what the chemicals are before we do anything. The second team will take care of the bunker and the waste room. Next, we will all meet back at the entrance to Lavos's room. By that time I should have hacked into the system there and bypass the security." Sullivan said.  
"Ok, let's get the teams set up." Carle said. "Han and Jackie are our two best physical fighters, so each team should have one of them. Jackie, Sullivan, and I will take care of the chemical room and the hanger. Han and Rad, you guys take care of the bunker and waste room."  
"Sounds like fun." Rad said with enthusiasm.  
"Guys," Sullivan began to explain "I have to go with you to find out what's really in that chemical room. After that I have to get into the computer room and see what I can do with that security at Lavos's room. Sorry I have to ditch you like that, but I'm the only one here with hacking skills."  
"Fine, Carle and I will take care of the hanger." Jade said. "I'm sure we'll take down a few grounded planes if all goes well."  
Everyone got a bag and filled it with enough C4 for each team.  
"Ok guys, here are walky-talkies. Keep in touch and check up with each other every five minutes or so." Han said, giving each person a walkie-talkie.   
"Ok, let's do this! Don't anyone die, or I swear…" Rad said with a loud voice.  
Sullivan planted the C4 in the cargo room and pulled out a device.  
"This device sets the C4 on. After this button is pushed, the C4 will go off in twenty minutes, so we gatta get our asses outta here before then." Sullivan said.  
"All right, let's go. Good luck and Godspeed." Han concluded.  
  
"Did you find them yet?" Vern asked.  
"No sir. No luck yet, we have only found one trace of them." The guard replied.  
"And that is…?"  
"… A pile of slain soldiers." The guard said nervously.  
"DAMNNIT!" Vern screamed. "Find them immediately and KILL THEM!"  
"Y-y-y-y-y-yes sir!" the guard said, running out of the room.  
Vern turned around and looked at something.   
"We shall rule. You and I, the world will be ours once again." Vern said. He seemed to be talking to a huge spiky egg thing… Lavos.  
  
Rad and Han walked down the hallway cautiously. The hallway led outside and to the bunker. When they finally reached outside, they both dove behind a stack of crates. They both poked their heads out to find a bunch of soldiers marching around in the cold. Some where doing pushups while others where doing other things like stay in their bunk or talk.  
"Ok, we gatta find a way in there. We gatta run in there without being seen and plant the C4 in the supply room." Han said.  
"Yeah, we need someone… light… and… fast. Someone with enough stamina to outrun a horse." Rad said, looking at Han with a smirk.  
"Are you referring to me?" Han asked worriedly. Rad said nothing.  
"Dude, you KNOW I can't run out there without being seen. It's impossible!" Han said in a loud whisper.  
"Aw, shut up. How long have I known you?! You can do it, trust me! I mean, how many times have you won hide and seek when your team was outnumbered 4 to 10?" Rad said.  
"We where kid back then." Han said negatively.  
"So what?! I KNOW you can do this. Just believe it man." Rad insisted.  
Han took a deep breath.  
"Ok, fine. Then what?" Han asked.  
"Then…" Rad said, trying to think up a logic plan. "I'll tell you what. We have two C4s for this area… right?"  
"Yep. Three altogether."  
"Ok, give me one. I'll plant this one in the gym which is on the other side of the bunker area." Rad said. Han handed him a pack of C4.   
"Ok, and I'll plant this in the center bunk." Han said, eyeing the way.  
"Ok, and we'll meet back here when we finish." Rad said.  
"Yeah, and don't contact me on the walkie-talkie. That all I need is to have that thing go off when I'm trying not to be heard." Han said with a smirk. Rad laughed.  
"Ok, let's get going." Rad said.  
Rad and Han did their brotherly handshake, which was a simple knuckle to knuckle punch. They then parted and got into position.  
  
A guard patrolled up and down the catwalk of the Chemical Reactor Room. He whistled and thought happy thoughts. He then heard a noise, and stopped whistling. He looked around him and saw nothing. He shrugged, turned around, and to his surprise, he found a sword piercing into his chest. The sword was pulled out and he was thrown off the catwalk and fell to the metallic floor, making a loud clang.  
"Ok, where clear." Jade said and she sheathed her sword. Carle and Sullivan came out of hiding.  
"Jackie, how do you kill people with such ease? Don't you feel bad when you kill someone?" Carle asked.  
"Carle, just because she kills people doesn't mean Jade has no sense of compassion." Sullivan said as politely as possible.  
"It's ok, Sullivan. Her question is relevant. It may seem like I do it out of cold blood. But one way or another, I feel just as bad as you do when you take away someone's life." Jade said with wisdom.  
The three of them walked over to a big computer. In front of it there were five huge tanks.  
"Ok, all I have to do is find out what the hell is in these big ass things." Sullivan said with dry humor.  
He walked up to the computer and began to punch a bunch of buttons.   
"Hhhmmmmmm…." He began to say "Well, it's not radio active, that's for sure."  
"Then what is it?" Carle asked.  
"Seems to be gas. This type won't destroy anything outside of this place. Ok, it's safe to put C4 on here." Sullivan said with relief.  
"So, let's put one C4 pack on ever other tank. That should do the job." Carle said.  
A few minutes passed as they put the C4 on the tanks.  
  
Han lay flat up against the wall aside of a bunk. He was about ten feet away from a bunch of soldiers working out. Han took a deep breath and ran when no one was looking. He ran swiftly and silently. A window was open in one of the bunks, so he dove into it, landing on a mattress. Two soldiers were in the room at that time, looking at dirty magazines and smoking cigars. Han dove underneath the bed before anyone could see him. He pulled out his map and traced it with his finger.   
"Ok," he began to whisper to himself "If I'm in this bunk, then that means I'm in the center. C4 should do the job right here. Now, I just have to plant it where no one will see it."  
He looked around from underneath the bunk. He figured it would be a god idea to plant it in the bed he was under, but it would be a stupid thing, considering that one could easily see it while changing bed sheets or stashing magazines. He kept searching from his position, and then he saw it. A dresser was right next to the bathroom. It was fairly large in size and it seemed to be a good idea to plant the C4 behind it. Han, without hesitating, crawled on the floor, underneath bed to bed. He heard some of the guards talking. Sounded like a bunch of filthy language while looking at magazines. Han shook his head and moved on. He crawled across the floor swiftly, and easily planted the C4 behind the dresser.  
"HEY YOU!" one of the guards screamed, pulling out a knife.  
The two guards dropped what they where looking at and ran after Han. One of the guards pulled out a walkie-talkie. Han spiraled toward him, lancing the walkie-talkie right out of his hand. Han then did a backwards kick, knocking one of the soldiers out cold. The next came at him with a knife. Han just jumped behind him and grabbed his neck. The soldier moved and wiggled, trying to brake free, but Han held him tight. Finally, the soldier stopped move and fell to the ground. He wasn't dead, just put to sleep.  
"Great, now what the hell am I going to do with these guys? I can't leave them here; people will know something is wrong." Han said to himself.  
Han thought for a hasty bit, and then thought up a great idea.  
  
Rad snuck his way through the vents, looking through each opening as he went along. Finally, he came to the end of the vent, and crawled out. He noticed that he was in a locker room, which stunk of pure BO. Rad looked around to see if anyone was coming. It seemed all clear when a man came out of the showers without a towel. Rad froze, staring at the man in total disgust.  
"WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?!" the man said.   
Rad killed the man with his axe and dragged the body into a locker. He then went into the corner and puked.  
"Aw… nothing grosses me out more than naked men." Rad says, as he puked up the last thing he had in his stomach.   
He then planted the C4 in one of the lockers, and crawled back into the vent while vomiting one last time.  
  
Han taped the two knocked out soldier together and hid them underneath a bed. He then radioed Rad.  
"Rad, come in if your clear to speak, it's Han."  
"Yeah… I'm here."  
"You ok? You sound a little sick."  
"Don't ask. What do you need?"  
"I planted the C4 and I'm on my way out now. You?"  
"Yeah, I'm in the vent right now. I planted the C4 and I'm outta here. Let's meet at the crates."  
"Ok, see you there."  
Han hung up his walkie-talkie and proceeded to the meeting point.  
  
"Sullivan, come in, are ya there?" Carle radioed to Sullivan.  
"I'm in the security room right now. Thanks to the help of Jade, all the guards are taken out. How are you doing?" Sullivan replied.  
"I'm ok. I'm getting a little lonely though."  
"Don't worry, Jade's on her way over. She's fast, so don't worry. You guys take care of that hanger while I check on Han and Rad and try to get by the security system."  
"Ok, Sullivan. Good luck."  
"Same to you, Carle."  
Carle hung up the radio and waited patiently on the catwalk. The whole area was outside in the bitter cold. Each pillar was about two hundred feet away from each other, not guarded to well.   
The wind made Carle's red hair dance, her green eyes showing bravery and courage.   
"I'm back." Jade said as she climbed down the ladder.  
"Good, I was getting worried." Carle replied with relief.  
"Ok, so all we have to do is get these four C4 packs onto each pillar. Correct?"  
"Yeah. It doesn't look very challenging though. There's like… no security." Carle said, eyeing the horizon.   
"Ok, let's get to work." Jade said, taking out a C4 packet.  
  
Rad and Han walked to the waste facility together. It turns out that everything was going a little too easy.  
"You know, I wonder if we are being setup." Han said, scouting the area swiftly.  
"I doubt it." Rad said with his axe at his shoulder.  
They walked a little farther and came up to waste facility. They walked in and began to walk in the garbage, looking for a nice spot to plant the C4.  
"Right here will do." Han said, planting it in a cardboard box.  
"Good, now let's get the hell out of… GAAAAAAAH!" Rad screamed.  
Han turned around.   
"Rad?" Han said, looking around for Rad.  
"Rad, this is no time for a joke! Come on!" Han screamed.  
He looked around the garbage for a little while, and searched through the polluted water that was at knee level.   
"GAAAAAAAH!" Rad screamed.   
Rad, out of nowhere, came flying out of the water and hit the wall, making a huge bang.  
Rad got up, looking around the place with fear.  
"Dude, calm down! What the hell happened?!" Han asked him.  
"Something grabbed my foot! It pulled me under, I just barley broke free!" Rad said while getting his axe ready.  
"Ok, in that case, let's get out of here!" Han said. He went to run, but was stopped by a huge green octopus creature. It had many arms and didn't seem very friendly at all. It roared at the two, making them terrified.  
"Let's kick the shit outta this sucker!" Rad said with passion.  
They both lunged forward to fight the huge beast.  
  
"Master Vern…" said a soldier to Vern, who was in his seat, staring out the window.  
"Master Vern…" the soldier said again, trying to get Vern's attention.  
"Yes…?" Vern said, without turning around.  
"Um… sir… we have lost control of most of our security." said the soldier with fear in his eyes.  
Vern said nothing, just kept staring out the window.  
"I see…" Vern said with stillness.  
"That's not all. W-w-w-we also found a d-d-d-dead soldier in the locker room at the Bunker Sector along with some… vomit in the corner." said the soldier, expecting to be destroyed by Vern.  
"And…" Vern said, expecting an answer.  
"And… what sir?" the soldier said with confusion.  
Vern reached across his desk and grabbed the soldier's throat.  
"And… what are you going to do about it?" said Vern with anger. His brown eyes seemed to have turned black.  
"U-u-u-u-u-u-u—um….. a-a-a-a-a-h….."  
"WELL?!"  
"I-I-I-I-I-I'll carry out a full investigation of the whole area!" the soldier said, trying to get loose.  
Vern threw the soldier on the ground and turned back around to see the view.   
"Then what are you waiting for? Go and do it." Vern said.  
The soldier got back up and saluted Vern. He tried to say 'Yes Sir', but he seemed to have lost his voice. He ran out of the room.  
"Damn worthless humans." Vern said with anguish. "Once I take this world back, I'll show them all. We will soon get our revenge!" Vern laughed and saw his goal.  
  
  
"Ok, that's three in place. We have one more to go." Carle said to Jade, running across the catwalk.  
They finally came to the last pillar and planted the last C4.  
"Ok, lets get outta here Jackie!" Carle said, looking for a place to run.  
"Uh-oh… we got company." Jade said, with her sword pointed a bunch of soldiers, running at her direction.  
"Aw damn! What do we do?" Carle said to Jade.  
Jade paused for a second and quickly thought up a plan.  
"Go." she said to Carle.  
Carle looked back at her in confusion.  
"Jackie…?"   
"GO! NOW!" Jade said with force.  
"But Jackie, I can't leave you here!" Carle said.  
"Don't worry about me! Just get out of here! If I'm not back in thirty minutes, don't wait! Just blow this place up!" Jade said, with her sword in hand.  
"You better come back!"  
"Just go! I'll hold them off!" Jade said, as she ran forward screaming like a lunatic.  
Carle climbed up the ladder as fast as she possibly could. She saw Jade fighting all the soldiers on the catwalk. Carle finally reached the top, and she was running to the door when she heard a noise from below. She watched Jade fight the soldiers again. This time, there where about three soldiers left. One came charging at her with a blade and another right behind her. Jade didn't notice the one behind her, so Carle screamed to get her attention. It was useless.   
Jade killed the one coming after her, but suddenly, she felt a bullet tear into her left arm. She shrieked and fell to the ground. A soldier then came over to her, and kicked her in the stomach.  
"JACKIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Carle screamed. No one seemed to hear her.  
Jade began to see everything go blurry. She looked up at the soldier with a bloody face. The soldier laughed, and kicked Jade in the chin. The kick sent her off the catwalk.  
"JAAAAAAAAAAAAACCKKIIIEEEEE!!!!!!!" Carle screamed with her face showing shock and anguish.  
Everything around Jade began to slowdown. She saw the soldiers on the catwalk stare at her with hate. She moved her eyes and saw Carle screaming at her with tears in her eyes. She then saw past experiences with her and Wolfus go by quickly. She then opened her eyes back up and she was falling facedown. Down below was part of the artic sea. She kept falling, and everything whizzed by her. Still, everything around her was so slow. It seemed as if she had been falling forever.  
Carle kept screaming. She put her arm out and screamed in shock. Jade could finally her voice, but it sounded so slow and helpless, almost inaudible.   
Jade saw the water coming up fast, and she was able to except it. She closed her eyes and let herself fall.  
"JAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACCCKKKIIIIEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!" Carle screamed.  
Jade hit the water hard making a big splash. It was a long was down, and it seemed impossible to survive a fall like that.   
After the splash cleared, there was no sign of Jade. Carle waited to see her body… but nothing. She was here and gone in a second.  
Carle kept screaming Jade's name over and over, expecting to hear her say she was ok. Instead, she got a cold reply of silence. She called her name again, but all it did was get the soldier's attention.  
"There's the bitch! GET HER!" A soldier screamed, running after Carle. Carle went to fight them off and avenge Jade, but she heard a voice.  
"Run… Carle… Run! Forget them… save yourself!" The voice said.   
Carle listened to the voice, and kicked the ladder over. A few guards fell off the catwalk when the ladder came crashing down. She then ran into the exit and locked the automatic door by destroying the electric dial system on the side. She then fell against the wall, and cried.  
  
Rad went to the right side of Han, panting like there was no tomorrow.  
"When the hell is this thing going to die?!" Rad asked Han.  
"I have no idea, but it looks like he's almost dead. Let's keep it up!" Han said, performing a jump move Jade had taught him.  
He performed the act so well; he lanced one of the octopus's eyes out and took off one of its tentacles.  
"NICE!" Rad said to Han.  
Rad did a spiral axe swing at the creature, making it bleed all over.  
"Look out!" Han screamed as the octopus shot venom everywhere. Han and Rad ran head on into each other, when a venom web struck them both, making them stuck to each other.  
"Um… Rad…" Han said to Rad, trying to break loose.  
"Yeah…?"  
"When you're telling this tale about our little adventure to your grandkids, leave this part out." Han said, still trying to break free.  
"You the same!" Rad said, also squirming to get free.  
The octopus hung them on the ceiling and charged up for an ultimate attack.  
"Rad, do you know the Ensuna spell?!" Han asked Rad with a rush of words.  
"Yeah! Why?!" Rad asked.  
"Cast it on us now so we can break free!"  
"With pleasure."  
Rad charged up for the Ensuna spell, and cast it on the two of them, breaking the venom off and setting them free. They both fell from the ceiling right before a beam went flying at them.   
"So close yet so far!" Rad screamed at the octopus.  
"I'm gunna charge up for a Luminaire attack! Hold him off until then!" Han said to Rad.  
"But you haven't used it yet, you may kill yourself!"  
"Don't worry; I know I can do it! Believe me!" Han said with honesty.  
"The last time you said that, we fell off a bridge!"  
"WE WHERE KIDS FOR GOD SAKE! Damnnit, can't you believe me this time?"   
"Sure, whatever. But if you die, I'm just going to say 'I told you so'." Rad said, as he charged at the octopus.  
Han charged for the Luminaire attack, and white light went everywhere. About thirty seconds went by and Han was ready.  
"Rad, stand back!" Han screamed at Rad. Rad ran away from the octopus and stayed a distance away from Han.  
The creature froze in confusion.  
"Han! I confused it, kill it now!" Rad screamed at him.  
Han charged his last bit of power and jumped vertically in the air. When he reached the peak of his jump, he froze in the air with both his arms raised and his head arched upward. A small white ball of energy formed in the palms of his hands, and eventually got bigger. It finally exploded into a huge ball of energy engulfing Han and the creature along with him. The ball began to fade away and the creature evaporated into thin air, without making a single grunt or howl.  
Han descended from the ground and landed on his feet. His eyes where shut. Rad came over to see if he was ok.   
"You ok man?" Rad said to Han.  
Han opened his red-brown eyes and smiled, throwing him a thumbs-up.  
"Told ya I could do it." Han said to Rad in a cocky attitude.  
"Dude, that was AWESOME! Where did you learn that?" Rad asked, totally amazed.   
"You know," Han said with a funny look on his face "I really don't know. I woke up in the cell one time after contacting Schala by prayer, and I just… knew it."  
"Coolness. Ok, let's get the hell outta here." Rad said, running after the exit.  
Han ran after Rad, and they headed toward the entrance to Lavos.  
  
"Han, Rad, you guys there? It's Sullivan." Sullivan said into the radio. A few seconds went by before there was a reply.  
"Yeah, all C4 is planted. What's up?" Rad said into the radio.  
"Good. I just got pass all the security, and every alarm, camera, and door lock should be busted."  
"Dude, that rocks! We're on our way to Lavos."  
"Wait, change of plans. Carle and Jade didn't get back yet. Meet me at the security sector in the second room. We're all going together to Lavos."  
"Ok, sounds fine to me. We're on out way now."   
"Good. Oh yeah, how's Han doing?" Sullivan said into the radio.  
"Well, he performed Luminaire."  
"Really? Cool… but why?"  
"It's a long story. Let's just say… we got in a sticky situation."  
"Ok, whatever. Meet you guys here. And be careful, there are guards swarming all over the place looking for you guys."  
"Sullivan, its Han. Have you heard anything about Carle and Jade?"  
"Hey. Uuummm… last thing I heard, they where putting the last C4 pack on the fourth pillar."  
"Ok, try and see if you can reach them again. I don't know why, but I have a bad feeling."  
"Sure thing."  
"Ok, see ya there."  
"Take care." Sullivan said, hanging up the radio. He was literally about to radio Carle and Jade when the door opened. His automatic reaction was get underneath the desk and pull out his crossbow. He did so, but he heard someone sobbing at the door.  
Sullivan peeked over the desk and saw Carle standing there with tears rolling down her face.  
"Carle?! Thank God it's you. You scared the shit out of me!" Sullivan said with a smile.  
Carle's tears didn't go away.  
"Ummm… are you ok? What's wrong?" Sullivan asked.  
"J-J-J-Jade…. s-s-s-s-she….." Carle said, sobbing in-between each word.  
Carle nearly collapsed. She fell forward into Sullivan's arms and cried harder. Sullivan was totally confused and had no idea what was going on.  
"Ummm… there, there. You gunna tell me what's wrong?" Sullivan asked nicely.  
Carle began to stop crying so she could explain.  
"Jade was thrown off the catwalk." Carle said, holding in her tears best she could.  
Sullivan thought it was a joke at first, but quickly noticed it wasn't when Jade never showed up.  
"W-w-w-wha…. WHAT?!?!" Sullivan said, totally dumbfounded. "Is she still alive?!?!?!?!"   
"I don't know! She just fell and hit the water hard. She never came back up!" Carle said, putting her tears at rest for a minute.  
Sullivan staggered back and fell into a chair. He brushed his hair back and took a deep breath.  
"Ok, she could still be alive." Sullivan said in a reassuring manner.  
"I don't think so." Carle said with a long face.  
"Han and Rad are on their way back over here. Listen… we have to blow this place up even if Jade doesn't show." Sullivan said with regret.   
With a loud entrance, Rad and Han came bursting into the room, bragging to each other about how much ass they kicked.  
"Hey Sullivan, you should have seen us! We just took on five soldiers in the hallway AND slain an octopus. And in the midst of all that, we got ALL the C4 in place! How about that?!" Han said, slapping Rad a high five.  
"What's wrong? You guys jealous?!" Rad said in a funny voice.  
Sullivan and Carle didn't even look at Rad or Han.  
"Say… where's Jade?" Han asked, searching the room with his eyes.  
"Jade's dead." Carle said in a bold manner. Carle had suddenly seemed to have accepted it. Han and Rad didn't move.  
"Now, now. We don't know that for sure!" Sullivan said, trying to drown out the worry.  
"Hell no. This better not be some stupid joke." Han said.  
"It's no joke. She fell off the catwalk and into the Artic Ocean. She is dead." Carle said. Tears began to roll down her face again.  
"Carle! We don't know that yet!!!" Sullivan said, sounding very annoyed.  
"Oh my God." Rad said, looking for a place to sit.  
"We have to go look for her!" Han said.  
"No, we can't. Our objective is to blow this place to hell and do it before we are killed. If Jade is alive, she will make it out." Sullivan said, getting back to work at his computer.  
"Dude, come on! If you fell of, we'd all come looking for you!" Rad said, still shocked.  
"Listen. It will be nothing but another bump in the road. Looking for her could take the longest time. She fell in the Artic Ocean, which is FREEZING cold. Now, if one of you are about to go diving into there to go look for her and risk being killed yourself, not to mention being caught before we ignite the C4, then be my guest and leave. Go on, leave. Jade may still be alive, in fact I hope she is. But who knows?! She could have drowned or froze to death by the cold water." Sullivan said with fury.   
No one said a word in the room. It was dead silent. Sullivan looked at everyone for a few seconds, and got back to typing. He then got up out of his seat, sending the chair to go flying back.  
"I dunno about you, but I'm ready to plant the last C4 and leave. If you're coming with me, then right this way. If you wanna stay here and get your ass blown to hell, then stay here." Sullivan said, putting a black bag around his shoulder. He walked out of the room and toward the room with Lavos.  
Rad looked at Han and Carle for a few seconds, then nodded his head and walked after Sullivan. Carle stayed in her chair, staring at the floor. Han got up out of his seat and walk toward Carle. Carle's eyes met Han's. Her glossy emerald eyes made a speech without words. She was hurt. Not by what Sullivan said, but the fact that Jade was gone.   
"Are you ok now?" Han asked, kneeling down in front of Carle.  
Carle just gave Han a simple nod. Han knew she was just saying that, her sad eyes gave it all away.  
"Just seeing her fall off like that… made me…" Carle said. She couldn't finish her words as she fell into Han's arms. She didn't cry, just held Han.  
"It's ok Carle. I miss her too. She may have lived, but for now, we must worry about ourselves." Han said rubbing Carle's back.  
After a few seconds, Han got up.  
"Ok, ya ready now?" Han asked.  
Carle gave him another simple nod and pulled out her dagger.  
"I'm ready." She said with courage.  
"That's what I wanna hear. Stay close to me and I won't let you get hurt. I promise." Han said, putting his right hand on Carle's shoulder. Carle grasped Han's hand and laid her head against it.  
"You'll be ok. I promise." Han said to her with honesty.  
They both walked out of the room together and got ready for the worst.  
"Ok, you guys ready? There's no going back." Sullivan said to the crew. They all nodded their heads with there weapons in hand.  
Sullivan opened the door and ran into the room with everyone else. The door closed behind them, and another opened in front of them. They all walked in.  
"Holy SHIT!" Rad screamed, looking up.  
The room was huge, computer screens all over the place. In the far right corner seemed to be a glass room, which looked like a lab.  
But… the most fascinating thing of the room was the huge spiky thing that lay in the center of the room.  
"Lavos." Han said, with his eyes showing fury.  
They walked around the room a bit to find something incredibly odd.  
"Where the hell is everyone?!" Rad said.  
"Did they all leave?" Carle said, looking around the place.  
"Who knows and who cares, lets plant the C4 and RUN!" Sullivan said, planting the C4 at the base of Lavos.  
"Wait! This could be a trap!" Han said, with his lance ready to kill.  
"Then let's hurry up!" Carle said, standing beside Han.  
"OK! I'm done, let's get out of here!" Sullivan said, getting up and reaching for the igniter.  
Everyone froze then they heard laughing. The laughing echoed in the room.  
"Who's there?!" Carle shouted out. Her voice echoed, and her response was more laughter. The laughter got louder and louder.  
"VERN! I know you're here! Don't be a coward! Come out and FIGHT!" Han screamed.  
"Han! SHUT UP! Do you wanna get us killed?!" Sullivan screamed at Han. Han didn't seem to hear him as he went screaming like a maniac.  
Vern finally appeared floating above Lavos. He smiled and laughed with evilness.  
"What the hell do you want?" Rad screamed at him.  
Vern snapped his fingers and within a second, a whole bunch of reptile soldiers came out from hiding and pointed there guns at the crowed.  
"Shit, we're surrounded!" Han screamed out.  
"Ya think?!" Rad replied with sarcasm.  
"FREEZE! GET YUR HANDS UP NOW!!!" a soldier screamed at them.   
They all put their arms up in the air.  
"This was really smart Sullivan." Rad said scornfully.  
"Shut up!" Sullivan said.  
They were all back to back in a circle of four.  
Vern put his arms out and charged his power. Finally, he lifted Sullivan up into the air with his power.  
"AAAAAAAHHH!" Sullivan screamed as he was lifted into the air. He couldn't control his body at all.  
"You have something I need." Vern said, with a smile on his face.  
The detonator to the C4 was being sucked out of the hands of Sullivan. Vern put his arm out and caught the detonator. He let Sullivan drop to the ground hard.  
"Sullivan!" Han screamed at him.  
Sullivan got himself back up.  
"What the hell are you doing?!" Sullivan screamed at Vern.  
"Me?! Relax; I'm just having some fun!" Vern said, cracking up hilariously.   
"Fun?! You call playing around with people's lives is fun?!" Carle screamed at Vern.  
"Pretty much." Vern replied.  
"Then kiss my ass! I'm not going to let you do it!" Carle screamed back. Han stared at Carle and smiled.  
"Ah, ah, ah, I'M the one with the detonator!" Vern said. "GUARDS! Tie these worthless beings up and leave them in the lab! Make sure it's locked!"   
"YES SIR!"  
Within a few minutes, the four teens were tied up together and locked in the small corner lab.  
"Let's go." Vern said, leading the Reptiles out of there.  
"Where to?" a soldier asked.  
"Furtive Mountain. I have a way in there. Let's hurry!" Vern said with haste.  
Vern walked up to Han and kicked him in the face.  
"Looks like I win." Vern said.  
Vern then pushed the detonator button.  
"YOU BASTARD!" screamed Sullivan.  
"You have thirty minutes until you are nothing but ash. ENJOY!" Vern said, spitting on them. He walked out of the lab, and a few soldiers helped each other barricade the door.  
"Sir, what do we do with Lavos?" a guard asked Vern.  
"Leave it here." Vern said, walking out of the room.  
"Excuse me?"   
"I said LEAVE IT! I don't need it at all. Besides, it will take care of those punks if they try to escape." Vern replied.  
"But…"  
"I don't need it after all. Once I get into The Holy Land, I can fulfill any wish I ever had." Vern said, as he slammed the door behind him.  
"NIIIIIICE! REAAAALLLY NICE! What do we do know that WHERE GUNNA DIE?!?!?!?!!" Rad screamed at the top of his lungs.  
"Hold on, I'm trying to burn the rope." Carle said, summoning her fire magic.  
"Will you hold still?!" Carle said to Rad.  
"I'm trying!" Rad said.  
Carle struggled for a little while, but finally broke free. The rope burned off them and she quickly got up.  
"Got it!" She said with a radiant smile.  
"YES!" Han said, giving Carle a quick huge.  
"Ok, now what?" Sullivan said, banging on the barricaded door.  
"Stand back, I got this one." Han said, charging for an attack.  
"What attack are you using?" Rad asked.  
"Black Beam." Han said with a steady expression.  
He charged for about a minute.  
"Dude, how long is this going to take you?" Rad asked, sounding annoyed.  
Right after Rad's annoying question, Han shot a black beam out of his left hand; destroying the door completely and making the stuff that was blocking it evaporate.  
"Let's go." Carle said, being the first one out.  
They all ran out of the room. They where abut to find a way out when they saw something horrid.  
"LOOK!" Carle said, pointing at Lavos.  
Lavos's tentacles moved all over. It grunted and snarled, knocking the wires out of its back.  
"What do we do?!" Rad asked.  
Sullivan looked at the creature. He pulled out his crossbow and said. "Let's fight it."  
Everyone looked at him like he was crazy. Han pulled out his lance and stood next to Sullivan. Carle pulled out her blade, and soon, everyone was looking at Rad.  
"Ok, fine. But if we die doing this, I'm going to say 'I told you so'." he said as he pulled his axe out.  
They all ran up to Lavos.  
"Guys… just in case we don't get out of here, I must say, it's been an honor." Han said, eyeing everyone.  
Lavos grunted.  
"Sullivan, how much time do we have left?!" Carle asked Sullivan.  
"I'd say we have another twenty-five minutes, let's make this quick!" Sullivan said to all of them.  
"Han, how long will it take to charge for your Luminaire?!" Sullivan asked Han, dodging a swing from Lavos.  
"I don't have that much Magic Power left! Give me a little while!" Han said, charging up for the Luminaire.  
Rad shot spores all over the place, but stunning Lavos was not possible. Lavos made a destructive attack which hit everyone. They all took the damage and fought on.   
"Here we go!" Carle yelled cheerfully as usual.   
Carle shot multiple fireballs at Lavos, hurting him big time.  
"Nice!" Rad said, while getting thrown against the wall.  
Lavos froze Sullivan with a freeze attack. Carle came over and unfroze him, but Sullivan took much damage.  
"I'M READY! STAND BACK!" Han said, running into the air. He stopped in thin air and formed the ball. It got bigger and engulfed Han along with Lavos. Han fell to the ground, seeming hurt. He panted and gasped for air. Lavos was nearly destroyed. It shook all over and began to back away.  
"Are you ok?!" Carle screamed.  
"I'm ok! Just keep fighting!" Han said as he lay on the ground hurt. Damnnit, I charged way too much he thought to himself.  
Lavos continued to deal with its pain.  
"LET'S FINISH IT OFF!" Sullivan said, shooting ice beams at Lavos.  
Lavos screamed and grunted as it hit both Rad and Han up against the wall. Rad got up… but Han didn't.  
"Just finish Lavos off, I'll check on Han!" Rad screamed across the room at Carle and Sullivan.  
Carle and Sullivan did a double attack by combining Ice and Fire elements. It stunned Lavos, making him unable to attack.  
"Let's go now! This is out last chance!" Sullivan said, blowing the exit door open.  
"Han? Come on man, wake up!" Rad said to Han, slapping his face.  
Han opened up his eyes and groaned.  
"Let's go! We gatta get out of here!" Rad said, pulling Han up. Han ran with Rad, holding his lance and limping.  
They all got into an elevator. It shook as it descended.  
"Are we going to make it out of here alive?" Carle asked Han, grasping his shoulder. Han said nothing back. He didn't know what to say.  
The elevator stopped and the emergency light came on.  
"Aw shit." Rad said, as he opened the upper escape door. Fire began falling from above and toward the elevator.  
"We gatta get out of here, now!" Rad said, busting the elevator door open with his axe.   
"I'll try to keep the fire away! Try to get that door open." Sullivan said. He began to randomly shoot ice.  
Rad finally got the door open, and everyone got out just in time. The elevator fell and made a huge bang and shook the floor. Pieces of the ceiling where coming down as the whole city began to shake.  
"Sounds like one C4 pack just went off!" Sullivan said as he ran with the crowd.  
They ran Until Carle screamed "WAIT!"  
"What is it?" Han asked?  
"That's the way to the hangar! We're not going to make it!" Carle said horrified.  
"It's out only hope! Let's go!" Sullivan said as he kept on running.  
The door automatically opened and they where all out on the hanger. Aircraft's lay in destruction.  
"Look! There's Vern ship!" Rad said as a huge ship flew away from New Aegis.  
"Ok, we are screwed." Sullivan said, looking down at the Artic Sea.  
They all looked at each other.  
"We're dead anyway… right?" Carle said to them all. "So why not just jump?"  
Blasts filled the air and vibration controlled the floor. Wind began to blow harshly and snow fell harder.  
"Let's just jump and hope for the best. There are no aircrafts left anyway." Rad said, looking down at the sea.   
"There is still a chance, let's jump!" Sullivan said running back for a start.  
An explosion filled the air and Sullivan and Rad jumped at the same time.  
Han went to jump when he felt Carle's hand pull him back. She pulled him over and kissed him. They kissed for a few seconds, and then looked at each other. Carle looked at Han with her emerald eyes. She gave him a smirk and held his hand. They both jumped together, as New Aegis exploded into a huge ball of fire. The whole city burst into flames for a few minutes. Smoke filled the air and fire melted the snow. The explosions finally stopped, as sounds of fire burning where the only sounds left from the great city. 


	14. No Tomorrow

Chapter Thirteen: No Tomorrow   
  
"Dude, wake up!" Rad voice sounded. His voice sounded out of breath. "Come on, Han! Don't go dying on me!"  
Han opened his eyes to find himself lying next to Rad, Sullivan, and Carle at the bank of the Artic Ocean. Snow was still all over, and frostbite bit at one's face.  
"I'm ok." Han said, sitting himself up. Han rubbed the back of his head. His vision suddenly came into view, and what he saw horrified him.   
"WHO THE HELL ARE THEY?!" Han screamed.  
A whole bunch of strange creatures surrounded the four, with spears in their hands. Their whole bodies where covered in fir, and their eyes where dark and mysterious looking. They where not very tall, only about three, maybe four feet high. They wore Eskimo jackets with no boots. The coldness did not seem to bother them at all, as they seemed to move freely. Han had also noticed that they had the spitting image of small bears that walked like humans.  
"SSSSSSHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Sullivan said, not reaching for his crossbow to avoid anymore chaos.  
One of the "bear" creatures said something to them that they did not understand. Han pulled out his lance, but Rad kicked it away, giving Han a nasty look.   
"Just remain calm; we don't want to scare them." Carle said to Han.  
Everyone stared at each other for a few moments, when all of the bear creatures suddenly formed a two way line, facing each other. They all put their weapons to the side and knelt down.  
Han was ready to say something, but Sullivan put a finger up to hush him.  
The sound of something crunching in the snow got louder. Eventually, one could tell it was footsteps. A figure came into view.  
"Its ok guys. go back to the village. I've been expecting these few individuals." The figure said. With that, the bear creatures grabbed their weapons and walked away.  
The figure seemed to be a tall man in a coat. He had long dark hair in a pony tale with light brown eyes and wore glasses with a hat and a feather stuck into it. He seemed rather strange to the four, but they didn't care as long as he was of some assistance.  
"Greetings, I am Otto. I come from the village of Boon, just east of here." Otto said with a small grin. He seemed very polite and well mannered, something most people lacked these days.  
"Hi, my name…" Carle said, but was cut off by Otto's interruption.  
"Your name is Carle. I know." Otto interrupted.  
Carle was dumbfounded and alarmed.  
"This is Han, that's Rad, and this must be Sullivan." Otto said.  
"How did you…"  
"Please, if you will come with me to Boon, we could explain everything. Someone important is waiting for you there…" Otto said, begging to walk on.  
"Who?" Rad asked.  
Otto said nothing and began to walk. Han and the others didn't have too many options in the artic wasteland in which they where in, so they fallowed him.  
The walk was merely ten minutes, up and down hills of snow. The village of Boon seemed to have a lot to it. Houses where all over the place, and markets stayed open despite the snow. It seemed like a good place to benefit if one was a business person, which was rather ironic.  
Bear creatures ran all over along with humans dressed in strange clothing. Children of both the bear people and the humans played in the snow. It was a peaceful village indeed.  
"We are here, welcome." Otto said.  
"Who are these bear things?" Rad asked, searching the village over with his eyes.  
"Oh, these guys? They are called Guateedees, but we simply call them FurFoots. Makes them sound less harmless… I guess." Otto said with a laugh.  
"Please, this way." Otto said, showing the way to a small blue house. On the door read "Mayor's House".  
"This is my home." Otto said, opening the door. He showed the four in, and they saw a few "FurFoots" and humans walking in and out of a room.  
"How is she?" Otto said to one of them.  
"She seems better, but not totally." said a blond woman in her thirties.  
"I see." Otto said.  
Otto went into the room and lead the four in.  
"JACKIE!!!" Carle screamed with pure joy.   
Jade lay in a bed with the cover over her and FurFoots that appeared to be nurses by her side. She seemed incredibly beat.  
Carle ran over to Jade and gave her a big hug.  
"Are you ok?! I was worried sick about you!!!" Carle said to her.  
Jade patted Carle on the back and gave her a smile and nodded.  
"I'm alive." She said plainly.  
Han, Rad, and Sullivan seemed rather surprised and overjoyed to find that Jade was alive.  
"What the hell happened to you?!" Han said to her, kneeling at her side.  
"Well, I can't really remember. All I recall is falling down and floating in the water… then black." Jade said, staring off at the wall.  
"Yes, well, I deeply apologize for breaking up the reunion, but Carle, the Sage wishes to see you." Otto said, hating to interrupt.  
"For what?" Carle asked, seeming to be annoyed.  
"I do not know, but I was ordered for you to be brought to the Sage." Otto said.  
Carle looked at Han, Han just simply shrugged.  
"Can't be that bad. I'll go with you." Han said, getting ready to leave.  
"NO." Otto said in an odd way.  
Han and Sullivan looked at each other in distaste of Otto's remark.  
"Excuse me?" Han asked with an attitude.  
"I said NO." Otto said even odder. He seemed to be hiding something.  
"Sorry dude, but Carle doesn't leave my sight. And if YOU have a problem with it, you can kiss my ass!" Han said with little patients and with an attitude.  
"Well, that is very sweet that you would protect her at all coast, but I assure you, the Sage means no physical harm." Otto said.  
"Are you sure about that man?" Rad said.  
"Yes, I am very sure, the Sage is a very wise man and wishes to speak with Carle, and Carle alone." Otto said in a personable way.  
Carle shrugged and looked at Han.  
"I'm sure it's nothing. I'll be right back." Carle said, walking toward Otto. "I'll be fine." Carle said with a cute wink that made Han feel all fuzzy inside.  
"Well, I bid thee farewell. We shall be back soon." Otto said.  
The two of them walked out and the door shut behind them.  
"Ok, four eyed dude is starting to creep me out!" Rad said out loud.  
"SSSSSHHHHH!!!" Jade said while laughing. "He's a nice fellow; I wish you three where as nice as him!"  
"Still, what the hell do they want with Carle?" Han said with his hand holding his chin.  
"Relax, man. I'm sure it's nothing." Rad said, patting Han on the shoulder.  
"I wonder too." Sullivan said.  
"I'm going to go spy on them." Han said, zipping up his coat and heading for the door.  
"Wait! Be careful Han. Don't be seen!" Jade said with a worried tone.  
Han winked at them and threw them a thumbs up.  
"Don't worry. Stealth is my specialty!" Han said, shutting the door behind him.  
"What an idiot." Sullivan said with a smirk.  
  
It was still snowing out, and the village was busy as ever. The sun began to set and the wind began to pick up. It was a beautiful place to be, and Han didn't want to leave. Somehow, it made him feel like he was at home. The wind blowing through his hair, the snow blowing in his eyes, he loved it.   
Han slyly fallowed Carle and Otto down the road. They where so far ahead that people began to get in the way and block Han's view in the street. Still, he kept at it, managing to avoid being seen at the same time.   
Carle and Otto stopped at the entrance to a small hut on the outskirts of town. It was not hidden, but creates and boxes where all over the place, hence the store that was next door. Han dived behind a box and listen closely.  
"We are here." Otto said to Carle, looking at her in the strangest of ways.  
Carle nodded her head.  
"Inside is the Sage. Do not fear him, for he does not fear you. Believe in what he shares with you, for he is possibly the wisest of people on this planet." Otto said with significance. "Go on, walk forward. I will await your return out here. Please… take your time in talking to him."  
"Why?" asked Carle with a bit of fear.  
Otto looked at the ground and smiled.  
"Let's just say the fate of the world depends on it." Otto said without looking up.  
Han was incredibly curious and ready to strike at the same time. His eyes showed readiness and his lance was ready to kill. He crouched behind the box like a fox ready to strike.  
Carle walked into the hut. It was strange looking with masks and necklaces hanging on the wall. It reminded her of some sort of witchdoctor's home. In a seat sat an old man with a long grey beard, a pointy hate, and a blue robe. His eyes seemed to be purple and he held a staff.   
"Welcome…" said the sage "I am Neos. Please, grab a seat. Make yourself comfortable." Neos said while pulling out a seat with his power.  
Carle gave a fake smile and sat.  
"Why have you called for me?" asked Carle with much concern.  
Neos went into deep thought, and then put both his arms at each armrest of the chair.  
"You and your friends have embarked on a mysterious journey. I have watched you all this time, and I must say first of all that I am very proud."  
"Thank you. But why have you called for me?" Carle asked, seeming very annoyed.  
"I understand that the young boy by the name of Han was thought to be the Chrono Trigger. Correct?"  
"Yes… but Han isn't the Chrono Trigger…" Carle said, searching for Neos's point.  
"Correct. Han is not the Chrono Trigger. You see… young Carle… the Chrono Trigger is a very powerful force that has the ability to defeat all evil. However, I regret to inform you that the true Chrono Trigger does not posses the ability to defeat Vern and… well…" Neos hesitated greatly "come back alive."  
"You mean the true Chrono Trigger isn't capable of killing Vern?!' Carle said, with horror in her face.  
"No, no, my dear! The Chrono Trigger is VERY capable of killing Vern." Neos said, trying to settle things.  
"Then what is the problem?" Carle asked.  
"You see, the true Trigger holds within him… or her… a great power. This power is so great that it could destroy the enemy… thus… killing themselves as well." Neos said, stopping at each word.  
"So that practically means that the true Chrono Trigger must sacrifice themselves in order to kill Vern?"   
"Precisely. This power needs to be awakened of course. I am able to do that."  
"So… what does this have to do with me?" Carle asked with pure confusion.   
"The Chrono Trigger must battle the king of evil with the help of their companions, and then sacrifice themselves in the battle, killing the king and themselves. This is a sacrifice that shall save the whole world."   
"So what… does… this… have… to do… with… me?" Carle said, interrupting Neos with an attitude.   
  
Carle had been in there a while and it bothered him. So he got up on his feet and glanced hard at Otto. Otto didn't notice Han, just stared into space. When he turned around, Han sprang out of the shadows like a snake and kicked Otto in the back, making him fall facedown into the snow. Otto went to pull out a gun when Han's foot pushed his head into the snow and stuck his lance lightly against his back to make him listen.  
"If you dare move, I swear ill shove this lance so far up your ass, you'll feel it come out of your mouth. Understand?" Han said to Otto calmly but surly. Otto nodded calmly.  
"Now, what is happening with Carle? What is she doing in there?" Han asked.  
"She is in there for reasons I cannot tell you." Otto said, his voice muffled somewhat in the snow.  
Han pushed the lance harder.  
"TELL ME NOW!" Han said going off like a bomb.  
"If you are going to kill me, then kill me. But try to explain to the people of this town why you did." Otto said wisely.  
"What is going on here?!" Neos said, walking outside with Carle. Carle's eyes seemed to be red and seemed like she was crying.  
"What the hell did you do to her?!" Han said, running into Carle's arms. Otto didn't bother to pull out his weapon, just stood up calmly and explained to Neos.  
"Are you ok?" Han asked Carle.  
"She is fine." Neos replied sharply.  
Everyone said nothing for a few silent moments.  
"I think it is time to head back to my house." Otto said, begging to walk back.  
Carle and Han walked together back to Otto's house. Neos went back inside, feeling like he hurt an angel.  
"You ok?" Han asked Carle as nice as he could.  
Carle simply nodded her head, and still kept shock in her face. Suddenly, Carle pulled Han by the arm as if to keep herself standing.  
"Han, wait, there is something I must say." Carle said to Han, with urgency.  
"What is it?" Han asked.  
"It's about Vern. I don't think all of us are going to survive…"  
"Well… duh. Carle, that's always the case."  
"But… you see…" Carle staggered to find words. "I know it for a fact."  
Han looked into Carle's beautiful eyes and went into deep thought.  
"What are you trying to say?" he asked with courage.  
Carle hesitated for a moment. "Nothing, forget it. I'm sure everything will happen for a reason… right?" Carle said, trying to hold back tears.  
"Um… yeah… I guess…" Han said, beginning to walk back. Han held Carle's hand. "Are you sure you are ok?"  
Carle giggled.  
"Yeah, I'm fine." Carle said, beginning to giggle more.  
"What's funny?" Han asked with a smile.  
"I love it when you ask people if they are ok over and over, it's so cute!" Carle said with a smile that made Han feel warm inside.  
Han laughed with her and they continued walking.  
  
"Oh boy, this is good tea!" Rad said, sipping at tea that a FurFoot had given him.  
Jade lay in the bed half awake and Sullivan was fixing his crossbow in the corner. Han and Carle sat next to each other and Otto began to speak.  
"Ok people. There is not much we can do, so tomorrow morning we set out to seek Vern. Get a good nights rest, you WILL need it." Otto said, throwing everyone a blanket.  
"Cool, so we rest here." Sullivan said, making his sleeping place.  
"I'm going for a walk." Carle said, getting up on her feet and heading to the door.  
"Want any of us to come with ya?" Rad asked while finishing up his tea.  
"No,no. I just want to be alone for a bit." Carle said, walking outside without saying anything else.  
"What's got her bugged?" Sullivan asked, looking up from his crossbow.  
"I dunno. Ever since she visited that Sage… she's been really up tight." Han said with a puzzled look.  
"Why is that?" Rad asked.  
"I have no clue. Maybe she misses home. She also seems pretty paranoid… like we all may not win against Vern." Han said.  
They all sat around for a bit and talked about random things. They had some laughs and giggles at some of Rad's crazy stories. Then, it came to Han. He suddenly ran out the door as if something happened.  
Sullivan and Rad looked at each other.  
"What's wrong with him?" Sullivan asked.  
"I dunno… maybe he's really gatta pee." Rad said with a small giggle.  
"Rad…." Jade said, half awake.  
"Ok, ok!" Rad said, shutting up.  
There was a long pause.  
"Maybe he has to do number 2…" Rad said, breaking the silence.  
"RAD!" Sullivan said with a big grin.  
  
Han walked all over and found Carle sitting at the dock, looking at the sun set. She appeared to be writing on a piece of paper. From Han's eyes, it looked like a note.  
"Carle!" Han screamed over to her, waving his hand.  
"Just a sec!" Carle said, hiding the paper.  
Han came walking over.  
"What's that?"   
"Oh… just a note to my Dad. I really miss him, so I'm writing home." Carle replied in the phoniest way.   
"Oh, I see." Han said, sitting next to Carle, gazing into the sunset.  
A few minutes went by, and there was a long pause between them both. Carle looked at Han. Han looked back at her and smiled.   
"Listen… Han… we have known each other for a while now." Carle said to Han, looking into his eyes.  
"Yes we have." Han replied.  
"And… somehow… I feel that I've known you forever." Carle said to him. "I feel like… we where made for each other. Not only the two of us, but the whole crew."  
"You know… I feel that way too…" Han said.  
They both didn't talk for a few moments. Then… Carle extended her arm and touched Han's face. Han turned around and looked at Carle. They both got closer to each other, while the sun set. They finally kissed, and it was something both of them had been looking for the whole journey.   
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!!!" a voice screamed from the village. That voice was fallowed by the sound of firing. Carle and Han where both interrupted and sprang to there feet.   
"What the hell?!?!?!?!" Han said, pulling out his lance.  
"Vern!" Carle said.  
Sure enough, Vern appeared in the sky. Fireballs spewed into the air and armies of reptiles under Vern's control wreaked havoc among the town of Boon.  
"My, my, what do we have her?! Two love birds sitting beside a dock gazing at the sunset. How pathetic!" Vern said, spitting on the ground in disgust. "I'm going to kill you all unless Carle comes with me!"  
"What the hell do you want with her?!" Han screamed, throwing Carle behind his back.   
"Well, I am a very lonely man…" Vern said with the evilest grin that could make a clock stop. That grin made Han feel like he wanted to obliterate something.  
"Hell with you! You're not getting her at all!!!" Han screamed, with his lance arched under his arm in battle stance.  
"You WILL hand her over, unless you shall feel what it's like to be in hell!" Vern said, pulling out his sickle.  
"NEVER!!!!!!" Han scream, running forward. He was on a rage and no one could possibly control him when he was mad. Stopping Han when he was pissed was like trying to trip a tank.  
As Han ran forward, Vern kicked him in the back and grabbed him by his throat.   
"HAN!" Carle shrieked.  
Vern began to levitate in the air, holding Han in a deadly position. Han found it hard to breath and everything around him began to turn black.  
"HAAAAAAN!" Carle shrieked, searching for a way to save him. She began to summon up some sort of attack, but then used her head.  
"Come with me, sweet Carle! Or else your love will feel what it's like to die!!!" Vern said to Carle.  
Han tried to turn his head. He began to speak.  
"Carle… r-r-r-run!" Han said while bearing pain. "Get... out… of… here! Now!"   
"Shaddap!" Vern said, head butting Han.  
Vern then threw Han on the ground and raised his sickle.  
"Come with me or he WILL die!" Vern said with seriousness.  
Han shook his head and demanded Carle to run. Carle hesitated and thought hard and fast. She then ran after Han.  
"What are you doing?! RUN!!!" Han said.   
Carle ignored Han's demand, and pulled him away from Vern. She then extended her arms.  
"TAKE ME!" she said, with pure courage and rage in her beautiful green eyes.  
"CARLE!" Han screamed.  
"Shut up, Han! I know what I'm doing! I'm the only one who can save us all!" Carle said.  
Vern grabbed Carle and put her over his shoulder.  
"CARLE!!!!"  
"I know what I'm doing! Just come to Furtive Mountain!"  
Han was running after her. Carle extended her arm and held Han's arm for a second.  
"I love you." She said, as she disappeared in thin air with Vern.  
"CAAAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!" Han screamed as he collapsed on the ground and burst into tears.  
The town was burning up and people where running all over.  
"Han!" a voice screamed.  
Han raised his head and saw everything in slow motion. The fire was crackling and people where dieing all over, turning to ash. Han heard the voice again to see Jade, Rad, Sullivan, and Otto running after him. They seemed to move so slow and their voices where so faint. Han looked up in the sky and felt the bitter sting of the snow falling on his face. For the first time in his life, he wished for death. He didn't seem to notice what Carle meant by saying she knew what she was doing. Instead, he only thought that she was gone, and his whole life no longer mattered. He got up on his feet and his throat throbbed from Vern's grasp. His eyes blinked and he saw his friends running at him.  
"Han! Speak to me! WAKE UP!" a voice was saying to him.  
He opened his eyes to notice that he was flat on his back laying on the ground.   
"Dude, what the hell happened?!" Rad asked Han.  
"Vern took Carle. She's gone." Han said in a weak voice.  
Otto walked a few feet away from the others and went into deep thought.  
"Great… now what?" Sullivan asked. This time, even Sullivan had no idea what to do. Otto turned and faced each of the party members.  
"Change of plans. We leave for Furtive Mountain sooner than expected."   
"Great, when?" Rad asked.  
"Now." Otto said, getting his supply ready.  
"Why not tomorrow?" Rad asked.  
"Because…" Jade said looking off in the distance. "There will be no tomorrow if we don't act now!"  
"Otto…" Han said very weakly.  
"Yes Han…?"  
"Why does Vern want Carle so badly?" Han asked.  
Otto said nothing, just stood looking at a wall.  
  
Miles away, Vern had Carle and he was at Furtive Mountain. Walking up the stairs, Carle didn't bother to try and escape. She had a deed to carry out, and she wasn't stopping. One would wonder what deed that may be.  
Finally, when the two of them reached the top, Vern ordered Carle to step on the seal. Before she could think, Vern physically pushed her up onto the seal. Light went every ware and the seal began to radiate. With that, the doors opened and the way to the Holy Land was clear.  
"Welcome back… the Chrono Trigger." A voice said after the doors opened. 


	15. Final Battle

Chapter Fourteen: The Final Battle  
  
The journey was not very long at all. The Town of Boon and Furtive Mountain where very close to each other. The party of four marched forward along with Otto and an army of humans and FurFoots, ready to fight. Most joined up with them to avenge their town. Others just wanted to fight. But Han… he just wanted his girl back in his arms again.  
The snow blew harshly and the night sky did not help. The FurFoots didn't seem to have a problem with the snow, as they are naturally used to it. Everyone stuck together, and from a distance, the army seemed to be one long train of people in the snow.  
"We are close." said Otto, pulling out a rifle and telling his army to halt. "We must plan carefully. Vern's soldiers are guarding the bass of the mountain, I am sure of it."  
"In that case, we need a strategy." Sullivan said, going into thought.  
"No need to think. You four are our top priority, and you are the only ones able to fight Vern. The army of Boon and I shall fight a path for you while you make it inside."  
"Then what? What about you guys?" Han asked.  
"Do not worry, we will hold the bass of the mountain for you. We must hurry, for Vern's power grows strong by the minute!" Otto said.  
Otto and his crew marched forward. One could see it in their eyes; they wanted blood, all of them. And they weren't leaving for anything.  
They marched on in the harsh wind, dealing with pain and anger. They all made it to the base of the mountain. The disgusting sight of Vern's soldiers was in view. Reptile soldiers stood all over with weapons in their hands and a look to kill.   
"ATTAAAAAAAACK!" Otto screamed, as his arm pointed at the soldiers. All of them ran forward. Otto ran over to Han.  
"Han! Get going now! Head for the top of the mountain while we fight them off!" Otto said, loading his rifle.  
"What about you?!" Han asked on the top of his lungs.  
"Forget about me! Just go!" Otto said, running with his men.  
"You heard the man! Let's get to the top!" Jade said. One thing about Jade that made people wonder was her quick recovery. Just one day ago she fell in a freezing cold ocean, the next she is fighting.  
All four of them ran for the mountain, dogging bullets and blades. Bloodshed flew in the air and people where dieing. A whole war taking place at the base of the Holy Land. Still, Han, Rad, Sullivan, and Jade ran with all their might.   
"Stay on coarse! We need to get up there!" Sullivan said.  
They reached the steps with rather ease and shot up it like flying bullets.   
Otto and his men fought hard. Much causality took place down there, but they still fought on. Otto slit a guard's throat, and shot another's head off. He was quite the fighter. Swinging his arms swiftly in the air and taking people's lives one by one he appeared to be a god himself.   
They finally reached the top and ran into the mountain. Slowly, the doors began to close, and they where locked inside.  
Rad walked over to the closed doors and examined it carefully. He then punched it, and grasped his fist in pain.  
"Great… where stuck in here now." He said, shaking his hand, trying to ease the pain.  
The inside was dark and slightly lit by torches. It was a huge cave with a long walkway. So long, it appeared to be miles.  
"Well, let's get going. Carle is in here somewhere, and she needs us." Han said, running forward.   
They all walked for minutes. Those minutes seemed like days as they walked farther into the cave. Suddenly, a staircase came into view. It seemed to have a red carpet and outlined by yellow borders. The sound of a piano reached Han's ears as he walked closer.  
"This is it guys. Carle's up there with Vern." Han said to the others.  
"Right, so let's not do anything stupid. We don't know what to expect, so use your heads." Sullivan said with passion.  
"Remember guys. We are not fighting for ourselves. We are fighting for everyone." Jade said, walking next to Han.  
"Let's just get this over with. I never want to remember the pain we suffered through this journey." Rad said.  
They walked up the steps with speed. The steps grew longer as they seemed to go around in a spiral. They reached a door which seemed rather scary looking.   
They all stopped and stared at it. Without saying a word, Han walked forward to the door. He grasped the pendent and knelt on the ground.   
"Schala… we are here. Please, lend us your strength and courage." Han said, with his eyes closed.   
Rad looked at Sullivan. Sullivan nodded to Rad and Jade, and they too knelt on the ground and prayed with Han.   
Without warning, blue fairy-like dust fell from above. Han prayed hard for Schala. Rad looked up and looked around, wondering what was happening.   
"Please Schala, help us in our mission." Han said with his voice cracking.   
Then, everything went black. None of them opened their eyes, just stayed in praying position with their eyes closed. Schala was there, right in front of them. She walked over, and placed her hand on Han's head. Han looked at her.  
"Do not worry, my dears. You shall defeat Vern if you find the will within yourselves. Do not fear anything. You have gotten this far, and still you fight. I am so proud…" Schala said.  
Han got up on his feet, slowly. He looked into Schala's eyes.  
"Schala… why did Carle let herself be taken away?"   
"I feared you would ask that. She is the only one who can save us."  
"How so?! Why didn't she run away when I told her to?!" Han asked with anger.  
"She is the one and only Chrono Trigger. Therefore, she possesses the power to kill Vern."  
"Then if she is the Chrono Trigger… than that means Vern is able to be fate now…"  
"No. He needs one last thing to become it." Schala said. She held the pendent and held it up to Han.  
"Don't worry; it's not going to fall into his hands." Han said.  
"I trust you." Schala said.  
There was a short pause. Han didn't know what else to ask.  
"The time to fight is now. Go forth and fight. I am always with you, do not worry. As long as the pendent is around your neck, I shall fight for you." Schala said.  
Everything turned back to normal, and Han got back up onto his feet. He looked at the others, as they where shocked.  
"It's time." Han said, walking up to the stone door. He looked back at the others. Rad nodded his head and smiled. Han nodded back and threw him a quick thumbs up. The pendent began to glow, and the door opened up. They all walked in, and the door slammed behind them.  
The room was lit by two blue flames on the floor. Han walked up to them, and another two flames lit up. As he walked father, more lit up, making a path. When the four of them walked farther, a circle of blue flames surrounded them, and Carle was right there.  
"Carle!" Han screamed.  
Carle was lying on a stone alter with candles above. A statue of someone was above the alter, holding a black sword and a white sword. Carle's eyes were closed, and she wasn't moving. Her hands where folded together and her hair was no longer in a braid.  
"Carle!" Han screamed, running forward. Right before he reached her, he was thrown back by a force. He landed on the ground, by jumped back up, showing little or no pain.  
"What the hell…?" Han thought out loud.  
"HAHAHA! Fool!" said a voice.  
Vern appeared in the air with his arms crossed.  
"You bastard!" Sullivan screamed.  
"So… you want your precious 'Carle' back, eh? Well, you'll have to go through me!!! There is no way I'm going to let you save her when she's letting me open up the portal to time!" Vern said with evilness.  
"What the hell is that good for?" Jade asked with rage.  
"Once, I open up the portal to time; I can go to any time I wish! I COULD ALTER ALL EXISTANCE AND AVENGE MY ANSESTERS!" Vern screamed.  
"I don't think so!" Rad said pathetically.  
"Why is that?" Vern asked.  
"Cause we aren't letting you!" Han screamed back.  
"Oh… really… wow. Then come on, STRIKE ME DOWN WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH!" Vern screamed, pulling out his sickle out of nowhere.  
A battle broke out and the heat was on. All the things that Han and his crew accomplished would be in vain if they did not succeed now.   
Han put his fist together and closed his eyes. Suddenly, a ray shot out from his body and struck Vern. Vern didn't move, and it seemed to tickle him.  
"HA!" he screamed.  
Jade sprang into the air, only to be shot down by a fire attack by Vern. Vern laughed hysterically as he found the battle very amusing. Sullivan wasn't laughing, and that was for sure. He shot multiple arrows at Vern, but Vern blocked them all with his cape. Sullivan cursed, and fired frozen beams at him. The blue beams pierced through the air, looking like rockets. They struck Vern, but were shot back at Sullivan. Sullivan tried to elude the attack, but was struck to the ground and wounded badly.  
"HA! Your fools are simply PATHETIC! Only a few more moments, and the process will be complete! I will be traveling in time!" Vern laughed out loud.  
"Wait… wouldn't that mean he's heading for the Bend of Time?!?!?!" Han asked Rad.   
"Oh my God…." Rad said with horror filling his face.  
"Your heading for the Bend of Time?!" Han asked harshly.  
"Yes, that's the name of it! I'll also be able to kill Schala while I'm at it! HAHAHAHAAA!" Vern laughed more.  
Han's famous eyes turned red, and this was a sign of pure anger. He ran after Vern, and lanced him multiple times. Vern continued laughing, but stopped when he felt sharp edges piercing into his flesh many times in a row.   
"GAAAAAAAAAAH! DDDDDIIIIEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!" Han screamed, actually hurting Vern.  
Vern fell on his behind and disappeared into thin air. A loud bang filled the room that startled them. A large circle was in the air, which was very obviously a portal. Vern appeared next to it and laughed harder than ever.  
"Whoops! Time to go!" Vern said, looking at his wrist as if gazing at a wristwatch. "Thank you, thank you!" he said, bowing in laughter. "It is time for me to go and end your existence! Good bye!" Vern jumped into the portal, and his laughter echoed in the room.  
"Quick, let's go after him!" Rad screamed, running for the portal.  
"No! Don't!" Schala's voice said. "Only a few can go in there at once!"  
"Then who's going in?!" Sullivan screamed at Schala's voice.  
"Only Carle can kill Vern. She must go, fallowed by another."  
"I'll go." Han said without thinking it through.  
Han was kneeling next to Carle. Carle began to move and her eyes opened.  
"Han…?"  
"Yeah, it's me. We have to go after Vern; he's heading for the Bend of Time!" Han said, helping her to her feet.  
"Can you walk?" Han said to her in a hurry.  
"Yes… I'm fine… I think. Let's go!" Carle said, running with Han to the portal.  
Jade grabbed Han's arm and looked at him strait in the eye.  
"You guys better come back!" Jade screamed at them.  
Han nodded, and both Carle and Han jumped into the portal without hesitating.  
The path was long and weird as they fell farther and farther. Carle held onto Han tightly. They finally landed on a brick gold walkway which Han remembered all too well.  
"We are here." He said.  
The setting was dark and scary. No wind, no snow, nothing but silence. Han looked around to find Vern looking at warps to other times and places. He turned around and saw Carle and Han standing there pumped and ready to kick ass. Vern showed no expression, just gazed at them with dry anger.  
"You people won't give up, will you?" Vern said, throwing his cape back and sticking the bass of his sickle in the ground. His cape flapped in the air, which was scary because… there was no wind.  
"Coming into here and fallowing me is like wishing for death. Your friends are not here, it is only you two. How can you possibly imagine that you could bring me down? Even if Carle is the Chrono Trigger, what is that going to do?" Vern said. He obviously didn't know about the power that Carle possessed and that it could kill Vern.  
"Vern. Why do you wish to kill?" Han asked.  
"Kill? You're asking me why I wish to kill?! Maybe I should ask your ancestors that question, sense I'm going back into time. You always thought that you where better than me this whole time. Well, it's obvious that you are wrong, Mr. Han."  
They all stared at each other with anger and hate mixed into one emotion.  
"Let me finish you now. Then, I would no longer have to deal with you ever again!" Vern said, without a smile.  
"We WILL kill you Vern. Can't you just put down your sickle and give up? What's so wrong with walking away?" Han asked honestly.  
"Only fools walk away. I cannot do that, for I am too far in my journey to give up. I must kill you; it is my job, my duty."  
"Killing innocent people! Was that your so called 'duty' too?!" Carle asked with anger.  
Vern nodded his head.  
"Yes. It was. Now, enough with the small talk. Time for you two to die." Vern said.   
"Hold it!" a voice screamed.   
Han turned around, and there was Schala, standing there with a staff and looking more beautiful than ever.  
"Schala?!" Han said, looked like he won a million dollars.  
"You're not going anywhere Vern! Not while I'm here!" Schala said with a tough attitude.  
"HA! This gets better by the minute! Not one, not two, but THREE people to kill! You people are making me work to hard!" Vern said, scratching the back of his head.  
"Carle, how long will it take to do 'The Attack'?" Schala asked Carle.  
"What attack?" Carle asked.  
"You know, 'THE Attack'?" Schala asked, trying to not let Han know what was going on.  
"Oh yeah…" Carle said, looking at the ground with a long sad face. "We need to weaken him first. I can do it instantly."  
"Ok, so we have to battle him until he can't attack anymore!" Schala said.  
Han was more confused than anyone there. He had no clue what was going on.  
"What?!" Han finally said with that same confused look he always had when he had no idea what was going on.  
Schala and Carle said nothing to Han. Suddenly, Carle slipped a piece of folded paper in his pocket.  
"What's this?!" Han asked her.  
"Just read it when the battle's over!" Carle said, pulling out her dagger.  
Schala showed a sad face, but said nothing.  
"Han, we need to fight Vern! He must be weakened before Carle can perform her attack!" Schala finally said.  
"What attack?!" Han asked.  
"I have the power to kill Vern. I am the Chrono Trigger you know…" Carle said.  
"Fine, let's just get this over with!" Han said, looking ready to kill.  
"HA! I will enjoy killing all of you!" Vern said with a laugh.  
The battle began, and all the stuff that didn't matter anymore was left behind. Killing Vern was the top priority.  
Han was the first to go at it. He sprang forward and rolled into the air, kicking Vern in the face. Vern cursed, and shot his leg out, kicking Han back in the face. Han fall on the ground, and was interrupted when red lava fell from the sky. It just missed Han, but hit Vern.  
"Sorry Han!" Carle screamed, for the lava was her attack.  
Schala put her hands together and prayed. Suddenly, Han was cured by Schala. Schala then attacked Vern with a psychic attack. Vern countered by punching Schala, but the punch missed her completely, and Han shot rays of light at Vern.  
"DAMN YOU ALL!" Vern screamed. He was loosing horribly, and it was getting out of hand on his behalf.  
"Carle!" Han screamed over to Carle. "Dark Bomb!"  
Carle nodded, and charged for power. Han pole vaulted himself high in the air, seeming to fly. Carle was done charging, and she sent a fireball up to Han. Han shut his eyes and waited. He then shot a black beam at the fireball, causing it to stop. Han then knocked it to Vern. Vern saw it coming, but did nothing. It landed right on top of him, causing a huge blue explosion. The fire cleared and Vern was on his knees. He then felt himself go flying back. He slammed into the wall and fell on his stomach. It was another mind attack by Schala, and she was good at it.  
"That's it!" Vern screamed. "I'm ending this now!"  
Vern stood up high and mighty. He arched his arms and dark rays of light surrounded him.  
"GAAAAAAAHH!" Vern screamed.  
Suddenly, and explosion engulfed him. Clouds of smoke filled the air, and left Schala, Han, and Carle gasping for air.   
"What the hell was that about?!" Han asked.  
"I don't think this is going to be good…" Schala said.  
The smoke began to clear, and a huge shadow lay in front of them.  
"YOUR LIVES WILL SEE THE DAWN OF THE DEAD, AND THE DOMINATION OF THE WORLD!" a dark, dragon like, incredibly deep voice screamed, making the ground shake.  
The smoke cleared completely, and there was Vern… or was it? A huge dragon/dinosaur stood there with its arms crossed. It had a big tale with long wings, along with black scaly skin.  
"What the hell?!" Han asked.  
"Oh my…" Carle said, with her jaw wide open.  
"GAAAAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!!! Yes, it is me! The one and only Vern!" Vern said in his new form.  
"So, Vern, you show your true form." Schala said, almost laughing it off. She wasn't scared at all, she had confidence.  
"Han, it's now or never! He's getting to strong!" Carle said to Han.  
"Carle, get your attack ready! Meanwhile, Han and I shall weaken Vern to the best of our ability!" Schala said.  
"Ok… I'll do it!" Carle said, putting her hands together in praying position.  
Without saying a word, Vern, in his new dragon form, walked over to the warp.  
"Hhhhmmmm…. The day humans beat the reptiles. I shall go back and alter time!!!!!!!!" Vern said. He put his arms up, and disappeared into the warp.  
"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!" Han screamed.  
"Quick, we still have time! We must fallow him into the portal!" Schala said.  
Schala, Carle, and Han ran into the portal. They went through it with no problem, and landed on grassy ground.   
"We are here." Schala said, pulling her staff back out.  
Visions of humans and Reptiles fighting filled their view. And the sound of Vern also filled the air.  
"GAAAAAAH! You fallowed me again! FINE! I SHALL KILL YOU RIGHT HERE!!!!!" Vern said, incredibly pissed off.  
Vern ran over to the three of them, shaking the ground. There was a large river that separated them from the battle, and trees all over. It was a jungle all right, and they were back in time.  
"This is it guys…" Schala said. "We must hurry, for Lavos's landing shall take place soon!"  
"GAAAAAHAHAHAHAAAA!!!" Vern kept laughing.  
Vern attacked first by shooting rays of destruction. Beams of light fell from the heavens and struck all three of them. They all took damage, but still fought on with might.  
Han charged himself, and signaled for cover. Carle and Schala stood in front of Han to distract Vern. A few moments later, Han leaped into the air and performed the famous Luminaire. Vern took massive damage, and fell to the ground. He got back up, and smacked Han with his tale. The battle went on  
After a few minutes of the battle taking place, Han noticed something.  
"Hey guys, what is that flying ship up there in the sky? Isn't this before planes?" Han asked.  
"Nothing, just keep fighting!" Schala said. She recognized the aircraft, and she smiled.  
After more repetitive battling, Vern finally fell to his knees, gasping for air.  
"You may have weakened me, but I still have the advantage!!! NOW, SHUT UP AND DIE!" Vern said, charging all the power he had left into one attack, 'Total Annihilation'.  
"Quick Carle, use the attack now!!!" Schala screamed, trying to hold Vern down with all her power. She sweated and painted.  
Carle ran over to Han and kissed him.  
"Don't you forget about that letter!" she said, leaping into the air.   
As Carle sprang higher into the air, she began having more flashbacks. Tears were streaming down her face. One sacrifice to save them all. I need to pull through. she thought to herself.  
She was high in the sky and right over the river. Vern laid there helpless, but still charging. Suddenly, she began to float in the air. She closed her eyes and put her hands together. Her body began to radiate and white and blue spirals surrounded her, fallowed by green, orange, and all the colors of the rainbow. A huge force filed the air. A massive wind picked up, blowing the grass and the trees. Han stood there in confusion, as his bandana danced in the wind. Schala came over to Han, trying to keep her self standing from the wind, and put a hand on Han's shoulder.   
The wind picked up more, blowing some trees down and making the river splash. Carle was tearing more and more, but she kept a strait face. The wind blew harder and harder. Then, she began to glow. Carle felt pains within herself. They weren't physical pains, but rather pains in her soul. She kept on performing the attack.   
"CARLE! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Han screamed.  
Carle looked at Han and said nothing. She looked back sharply at Vern. Her eyes filled with hate and her pulse grew stronger.  
"ONE SACRIFICE TO SAVE THEM ALL!" Carle screamed. "MAY YOU FOREVER BURN IN HELL, VERN!"  
Carle was then engulfed in a white ball of light. Then, something flew out of that ball, striking Vern in the chest. Vern was shocked, as he couldn't move. A black mist came out of his body, which appeared to be his soul. The blackish, purple matter flew higher. Then, a white projectile from Carle struck it hard, causing a massive explosion. Vern screamed and hollered, as he held himself. Another explosion took place, and Vern simply evaporated, never to be seen again.  
The wind calmed down and Carle appeared again in the sky, still in the same praying position. The sun came out and the grass was greener than ever. The whole setting was beautiful. Carle looked at it all in amazement and satisfaction. She gazed at the animals that inhabited the forest and saw the humans dance in victory of defeating the Reptiles. The sky was bluer than ever and piece had held the planet once again.   
Carle looked at Han from above. Han looked at her with his mouth hanging open. Carle smiled at him.  
"I did it." Carle said. She continued staring at Han, and then she began to fall from the sky.  
"CAAAAAAAARRLE!" Han screamed, running after her.  
Carle fell from the sky like a rag doll. Her hair dangled in the air and she fell helplessly. Han ran after her, fighting the tears back and being in a state of denial. Schala stared at the heartbreaking scene and feel to her knees, putting her head down.  
Carle kept falling, slowly, slowly, slowly. Her whole body dangled in the air. Han had visions of when they first met, how innocent Carle really was. Every running step he took seemed like forever. He could hear his pulse and his heart felt broken.   
Carle continued to fall helplessly, as her body was controlled by the wind and gravity. Her eyes where still open, and everything around her seemed still. She then saw Han's face one last time, and then landed in the river.  
"CAAAARLE!" Han screamed.   
Carle's body floated lifelessly in the water. Her red hair moved with the water. Han dived into the water, reaching for his fallen angel. He swam to Carle's body, and put his arm out and grabbed her. Her eyes where still open, and she was showing no sign of life at all. Han pulled her up, and dragged her out of the water. He remembered when he saved her from the ship accident, and how she did live. But he knew this time that there were no second chances.  
Han placed Carle's body on the ground, and felt her neck for a pulse. He held his hand there for a while, and then put it back at his side. Carle's eyes remained open, staring at nothing. Han began to sob, and Schala came over. Schala bend down next to Han, and shut Carle's eyes. Schala and Han looked at each other. Han felt like he was going to faint, but fell into Schala's arms and cried.  
"She's… gone…" Han said, totally shocked. Carle's body still showed no sign of life, as she lay there not moving at all.   
"I am sorry." Schala said "She didn't want to tell you that it would come to this." Schala rubbed Han's back and rested her chin above his head. He still cried on and on.  
"Why didn't she tell me?!" Han said. "WHY! WHY! WHY!"  
"Read the note, I'm sure she told you in there." Schala said, still holding Han.  
Han reached in his pocket, and found the note. Surprisingly, the ink was not smudged from the river. He examined Carle's beautiful handwriting, but didn't actually read the note.  
"We must go before Lavos crashes into this planet. Read the note when we get back." Schala said, helping Han up quickly.   
Han looked at Carle's lifeless body once again, hoping for a miracle. He then knelt beside her body, and picked her up. He held his fallen angel close to him, and walked with Schala to the warp.  
  
"That was weird." Sullivan said to Otto in the battle field. "They all just disappeared like that. Maybe Han and Carle had something to do with it."  
Jade, Sullivan, Rad, Otto, and some others helped clean up what was left on the field.   
"Hey, is that them?" Otto asked, looking up at the mountain.  
Schala walked with Han, who was holding Carle's body, down the steps. Han walked with no expression, but one could see his pain with the scares he bared and the way he walked. He walked slowly down the steps, and paused. He looked up at the clear blue sky and the beautiful pine forest and snow that could be seen from above. Schala stopped and looked at him.  
"What is it?" Schala asked him.  
Han continued looking around and saw his friends staring at him.  
"It's… so… beautiful out…" he said, shedding a tear or two.  
Schala put an arm on his shoulder.  
"She was a brave girl." She said with pure honesty.   
Han looked back at Schala with sadness.  
"Oh… wait… your pendent!" Han said, trying to take the pendant off.   
"Han…" Schala said "Do not worry. Keep it. It is safe with you. Plus, Vern is dead."  
Han looked back at her with a look.  
"Are you sure?"  
"Yes, I am sure. You can be 'Holder of the Pendent'. I can trust you to guard it." She said.   
Han nodded his head. They both continued marching down the steps. When they reached the bottom, everyone ran over to Han and Schala, asking a million questions at once.  
  
***  
  
Han sat at the dock of his new home. He sat there fishing, picking up where he left off before his adventure. He then remembered Carle's note, and pulled it out of his pocket and began to read.  
  
Dear Han,  
If you are reading this note, chances are, Vern is dead… as well as I. You may be asking yourself a million questions like why I didn't let you know about what was to happen to me. Let me just say I didn't want you to stop me. I had to kill Vern, it was the only way. You may think I don't love you because of it, and if you do think that, you are dead wrong! I love you, and that's why I did it. I couldn't last seeing you when you where hurt. Seeing you and the others being tortured by evil was too much for me, so I had to do something. I love you some much Han, which is why I gave my life for you… and the others.   
Do me a favor. Tell Sullivan to continue using his head. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have seen things the way they were. Thank him for showing me the light and what to do in bad times.  
Tell Rad to continue being himself. All those laughs we shared, all those troubles we went through. It was all priceless. If it where not for him, I would have forgotten what it was like to laugh!  
Tell Jackie to keep looking at the moon and never to give up on Wolfus. Nothing can take away the sisterhood we had for each other, and nothing can take away the moment we shared under the moon.   
Tell my father that I did what he would have done. That I love this world to much too actually watch it slowly die. And yes, tell him I get my bravery from his side of the family.  
Well, I guess this leaves me with you. Thank you so much for sharing your love with me. Without you, I would have died before killing Vern. Remember to always stay who you are and believe in yourself. Please, do not waste any more tears on me. The sacrifice had to be made. You see Han, we are nothing. We are just life forms that live on this planet for little cause. We are only one in millions. Are universe is too big, and we life forms mean nothing to it. But that doesn't mean we should stop living our lives! We matter to someone or something on this planet. And Han, you meant something to me. Thank you for everything. I could not have imagined what life would have been like without meeting you. I love you.  
Love,  
Carle 


	16. Epilogue

Epilogue   
  
"Whoa… that Norstein Bekkler's place was creepy." Chris said, walking inside Sullivan's house. Han and Sullivan where getting their packs ready and Rad wad sitting, doing nothing. Chris came in and handed Sullivan some supply.  
"Yeah, it was. That guy had just a head and hands…" Rad said, scratching his head.  
"And why the hell did he make us play that stupid guessing game?" Chris asked.  
"Eh, who knows? I hear he does it to everyone like that." Han said, putting his pack on.  
Rad got up and walked out the door with Chris. Rad only had a small bag to carry.  
"Ok, you've got the clone?" Sullivan asked Han. Han nodded his head.  
They all walked out of Sullivan's house, getting ready for a long hike.  
"How long has it been since you guys killed that Vern guy?" Chris asked, packing up what was left of his supply.  
"Eh… I'd say about a month or so." Sullivan said, zipping up his bag and grabbing his walking stick.  
"Yeah… seems like longer to me." Han said. He held the ring Carle gave him.  
Sullivan walked over to him and put both his hands on his shoulder and looked him in the eyes.  
"Dude, cheer up! Look, everything will be fine." Sullivan said.  
"Yeah man." Chris said to him.  
Han nodded his head, and walked out the door. Everyone had their packs on and Sullivan locked the door to his house.  
"Ok, we are on our way." He said, whistling a familiar tune.  
They walked the path and enjoyed the hike. Suddenly, Chris stopped, and scratched his head.  
"Yo, you guys just called me up and told me to get ready. Where the hell are we going anyway?!" Chris asked, puzzled.  
Han turned around and looked at him in the eyes.  
"Death Peak." Han said with a smile. He turned around in a good mood, and walked with his brothers to Death Peak. Only one could imagine the adventure that lay ahead.  
  
-KDH 


End file.
